Governor Abiodun suspends Abidemi Rufai over alleged $350,000 fraud

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has suspended his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Special Duties, Abidemi Rufai, following his arrest in New York.

Rufai was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over an alleged $350,000 fraud.

Abidemi Rufai, a former aspirant for Ijebu Central Federal Constituency of Ogun State, was arrested on Friday at JFK Airport in New York on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud for his scheme to steal over $350,000.

The Governor, in a statement on Tuesday issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, reacted to the development and said the reports of his aide’s involvement in fraud is ‘disturbing’.

The Chief Press Secretary said the ‘Governor cannot be held responsible for the actions of a full-grown adult’.

He said; “We received the very disturbing news of the arrest of one of the governor’s political appointees, Mr Abidemi Rufai in New York over alleged unemployment benefits and fraud in the United States, this morning.

“While the Governor cannot be held responsible for the actions of a full-grown adult, especially outside the jurisdiction of Ogun and Nigeria, he has since suspended the suspect from office to enable him to answer the charges leveled against him.

“The Governor wishes to condemn any act capable of undermining his determination to institute an open, transparent, accountable, and morally upright behaviour in the State and in governance.

“Gov. Abiodun remains committed to his agenda of building our future together and will not condone criminals