The suspended chairman of Shinkafi local government area of Zamfara state, Alhaji Sani Muhammad Galadi, said he would be ready for execution if he is found guilty of diverting N23 million allocated for victims of bandits’ attacks in his local government.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Thursday, Galadi said he had taken legal action against Zamfara state House of Assembly, Attorney General and others to ventilate his grievances, saying if court found him guilty, he would be ready to face the consequences.
“They said I diverted N23 million victim support funds and the state assembly never invited me even when they set up a committee to investigate the matter. The committee never called me only for it to submit report indicting me.
“The court would now decide if I’m found wanting. I know I would never go unpunished but if I’m found not guilty of all the allegations, then I’m claiming N50 million damages against the assembly and other defendants.
“I have been in politics for 41 years now. If as a local government chairman money meant for victims of bandits’ attacks in my local government is given to me for onward disbursement to the specified beneficiaries is diverted by me, then there would be no distinction between me and those who killed the innocent people,” Galadi said.
He added: “I’m inching closer to my grave by the day; therefore what do I stand to benefit from diverting public funds. The allegations are wicked, malicious and politically-motivated and they should be dismissed totally.”
Last week, Zamfara state assembly had slammed a suspension on the local government chairman after its committee said it found him guilty of diverting N23 million meant for disbursement to victims of armed banditry attacks in his local government.
