Former Accountant General of Nigeria, Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla, has died in the United Kingdom, according to reports from The Street Journal.
Otunla passed away shortly after celebrating his 70th birthday.
Born on June 12, 1955, Otunla was appointed as the Accountant General of the Federation by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on June 28, 2011.
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He held the position until 2015 when he was removed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Otunla was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with two major cases.
He was alleged to have diverted approximately N24 billion intended for the severance pay of disengaged staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
Additionally, he was accused of receiving N2 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for personal use.
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In a bid to avoid prosecution for these allegations, Otunla reportedly refunded N6.3 billion to the Federal Government.
Aside from his role as Accountant General, Otunla served as a board member of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He retired from the Civil Service on June 12, 2015, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Otunla’s death marks the end of a controversial chapter in Nigeria’s public service history, as he was embroiled in significant financial misconduct allegations up until his passing.
