The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has concluded plans to arrest and prosecute six former governors over alleged looted public funds. Top on the list is Senator Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara State, who is alleged to have defrauded the state of N65 billion, ex governor, Ali-Modu Sheriff of Borno State is being hunted for alleged N50 billion theft from while he was governor. Others are Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo State, who is alleged to have pocketed N35 billion belonging to the state, while Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano State, is wanted by the anti graft body for allegedly embezzling N61 billion belonging to the state.

This is coming after last year's arrest of four former governors of Oyo, Ogun, Gombe and Nasarawa states, and their subsequent arraignment before various high courts in their states. Under the renewed hunt-list, six additional ex-governors may be apprehended in the next few months to defend themselves over the alleged recovery of a whooping N293 billion they had allegedly converted to their personal use while in office.

Nigerian Pilot learnt exclusively in Abuja yesterday that former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim will be arrested for a N35 billion scam, his Zamfara State counterpart, Alhaji Muhammadu Umaru Shinkafi will face a N30 billion state funds scam and ex-governor, Bukola Saraki is to account for over N65 billion state funds allegedly misappropriated or mismanaged while he served as governor of Kwara State. In addition, the commission has got the approval of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Muhammed Bello Adoke (SAN), to also arrest and prosecute former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau over a N61 billion scam and his Borno State counterpart, Sen Ali Modu Sheriff, will answer a N50 billion public funds charge.

A credible source disclosed that the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, who was earlier critical of the commission's operations in respect of the arrest and prosecution of suspected corrupt persons, has given the nod for it to bring to justice, all identified corrupt persons to book, having been convinced that there was a sufficient ground for prosecuting them, especially those who had always escaped justice, now that their immunity has been vacated outside political office.

The 1999 Constitution confers immunity on 74 public officers including serving presidents, vice presidents, governors and deputy governors while in office. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, last year arrested and arraigned the former governors, Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun, Adebayo Christopher Alao-Akala, Oyo, Alhaji Akwe Doma, Nasarawa and Danjuma Goje of Gombe State respectively.

Former Ogun State governor, Daniel is explaining to the court his alleged misappropriation of N58 billion while he held sway; the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Otunba Christopher Alao-Akala has been battling with the court on his alleged stealing of N25 billion while his counterpart in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma is facing the court over an alleged N18 billion public funds which developed wing while the state treasury was under his watch, and Goje is battling with the court for allegedly looting a whopping sum of N58 billion.