Former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido, his sons Aminu and Mustapha and one Aminu Wada Abubakar are to remain in Kano Central Prison till September 28, 2015.
The quartet were remanded in prison custody on Thursday by Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano after they were docked on a 28-count charge of corruption and money laundering brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
After the judge’s pronouncement, a mild drama ensued between Lamido and the Deputy Chief Registrar of Federal High court, Barrister Solomon Akpedah.
Lamido was asked to proceed to board the waiting van taking him to Kano central prison when he exclaimed, “you mean I’m now a prisoner?!”
They were arraigned alongside four companies where the Lamidos are believed to have interest.
The companies are Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamiana Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminum Limited and Speeds International Limited.
Lamido is said to have abused his position as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015, by awarding contracts to companies where he has interest, using his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha as front.
Justice Anyadike consequently remanded the accused persons in prison custody pending consideration of their bail application and adjourned to September 28, 2015.
The arraignment of Lamido and his children was not without incident as an unruly crowd of supporters loyal to the former governor threatened to disrupt the court session. It took reinforcement of the detachment of policemen at the court to maintain order.
The travails of the Lamidos began in 2012 when one of his sons, Aminu was arrested by Operatives of the EFCC at the Aminu Kano Airport, Kano, for failing to declare a sum of $40,000.
He was prosecuted and convicted with 50 percent of the undeclared sum forfeited to the Federal Government.
Inquiries into the source of the funds led investigators into the closely guarded web of corruption and money laundering involving members of the former first family of Jigawa State and their cronies.
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