Embattled Kano member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has denied allegations that he owns and operates a bank account in the United Kingdom.

A group, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, had alleged that it traced £1.558 million to an account in the United Kingdom, allegedly owned by the former chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations.

The allegation was contained in an e-mail sent to journalists by Ifeanyi Okonkwo, the Head of the Anti-corruption unit of the NYCN.

Jibrin however, denied owning any account in the UK or having anything to do with the address in the e-mail sent by the NYCN.

In a series of tweets on Monday, the lawmaker said the report was just the handwork of mischief makers who are bent on foiling the anti-corruption campaign he had initiated against speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers of the house.

He stated: “My attention has been drawn to a widely circulated report that I own an account with ING bank UK with Essex address and balance of £1.3m.

“The document is FAKE; I DO NOT own such account or balance neither do I have anything what so ever to do with the said address at Essex.”

The Kano state lawmaker said the report was “part of a wider propaganda arranged by the desperate Speaker Dogara through his Deputy Chief of Staff Hon CID Maduebum.”

He also alleged that Maduebum recruited and paid N20 million to one Okonkwo and Ugochinyere “to do the hatched jobs.”

“Ahead of resumption of the House, they are back at work to divert attention from allegations of budget fraud and corruption against Mr Speaker.

“The plan is to create credibility problem for me as I release more revelations on Mr Speaker that will send shock down the spines of Nigerians,” Jibrin said.

He vowed to ensure that the allegations were investigated, saying that “my lawyers are taking the necessary legal actions. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”

The NYCN had claimed that documents obtained from the UK revealed that Jibrin allegedly “owns and operates the said account domiciled in ING Bank Channels Island, United Kingdom.”

Part of the letter sent by the NYCN read: “The bank is located at Forum House, Grenville Street, St-Heller, Jersey JE2 4UF, Channels Island United Kingdom.

“Jibrin opened the account with his address at 453 Crank brook Road, Ilford Essex IG2 6EW.

“Details of the account statement obtained by some lawyers in the UK show that Jibrin has a total £1.558m (approximately N825m) in the account between June 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016.”

Okonkwo in the letter claimed that Jibrin had withdrawn £623.44 pounds within the one month period bringing the balance in the account to £1.376, 193.84 British pounds.

“Jibrin’s ownership of foreign account contravenes the provisions of the 1999 Constitution which bars public officers from owning and operating foreign account,” he added.

Paragraph 3, Part one of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, states:

“The President, Vice-President … members of the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly of states and such other public officers or persons shall not maintain or operate a bank account in any country outside Nigeria.”

Several punishments were recommended in Paragraph 18 of same Schedule of the constitution for any public officer that defaults on the above provision.

They include: vacation of office or seat; disqualification from membership of a legislative house; seizure or forfeiture of assets or property being proceeds of such corruption; and prosecution in addition to the above sanctions; where the conduct constitutes a crime.