Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has removed Dr. Ibrahim Yusuf Ngoshe from the list of commissioner-nominees submitted for screening by the State House of Assembly.
The governor transmitted the list of nominees to the lawmakers on Friday.
But Zulum withdrew the name of Dr. Ngoshe, as confirmed by Zulum’s spokesperson, Mallam Isa Gusau, in a statement on Saturday.
The statement mentioned that the governor had communicated his decision to the state lawmakers.
Ngoshe, a native of the Southern Borno senatorial district of Gwoza local government area, was among the All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants for the ticket of Gwoza State Constituency, but he lost.
According to the Governor’s spokesman, the number of nominations for commissioner has therefore decreased from 18 to 17.
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Gusau said further details will be provided should the need arise.
It is unclear if Ngoshe’s case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) triggered the governor’s action.
Ngoshe’s case with EFCC
In March, the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the EFCC arraigned Dr. Ngoshe before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court on a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation involving the sum of N24,000,000.00 (Twenty-Four Million Naira).
The charge accused Dr. Ngoshe, as the Principal of Mairi Islamic Senior Secondary School, Maiduguri, of dishonestly misappropriating revenue meant for the school’s staff salaries, additional structures, and other physical projects. The funds were allegedly diverted for the establishment of a different school, Sheik Abba Aji Memorial Integrated School at Mairi Kuwait.
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The charge reads: “That you, Ibrahim Yusuf Ngoshe whilst being the Principal of Mairi Islamic Senior Secondary School, Maiduguri, Borno State, between the year 2012 to 2023, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did dishonestly misappropriate the revenue generated by the School and diverted same in the establishment of your school by name Sheik Abba Aji Memorial Integrated School at Mairi Kuwait being monies meant for payment of staff salaries, additional structures and other physical projects for the school to the tune of N24,000,000.00 (Twenty Four Million Naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Cap.102 Laws of the Borno State of Nigeria and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
He had pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him, while the judge remanded him and adjourned the case till May.