Gov Abiodun suspends aide, Abidemi Rufai, arrested by FBI for alleged fraud in US

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Abidemi Rufai, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI) in the United States for alleged involvement in $350,000 unemployment fraud.

FBI arrested Rufai on Friday evening at the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York based on criminal complaint and was subsequently charged with defrauding Washington State Employment Security Department of over $350,000.

Dapo Abiodun’s Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, made Rufai’s suspension known, stating that his involvement in fraud is disturbing.

He was quoted as saying, “Governor cannot be held responsible for the actions of a full-grown adult.

“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 levelled 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.

“Abiodun remains committed to his agenda of building our future together and will not condone criminals either in his government or the state in general.”