The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, on Monday, claimed his administration inherited an empty treasury from his predecessor.

Lawal stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

According to Lawal, after taking over office, over ₦250 billion was not accounted for under former Governor Bello Matawalle.

He further stated that there was backlog of salaries  for four months, adding that three years none of Zamfara indigene wrote either WAEC or NECO.

Lawal said, “EFCC made a pronouncement sometime around May 21, 2023 or there about that it was alleging that ₦70 billion was stolen. That means before I took over. By the time I took over, I realized that that ₦70 billion they mentioned was a child’s play.

“So far based on available records, we realized over ₦250 billion was not accounted for. It is very funny. Let me explain to you the state I inherited. I inherited a very dysfunctional state. When I took over there was no ₦4 million in Zamfara State Government account – just empty.

“There was a backlog of salaries for four months. For three years none of Zamfara indigene wrote either WAEC or NECO. I had to settle ₦1.3 billion for NECO and ₦1.6 billion for WAEC. Some of the students got their certificates after we settled WAEC and NECO.”