Amidst the decayed infrastructure in Niger state, available records from the state indicate, that tough talking governor of Niger state, Aliyu Muazu Babangida and his kitchen cabinet in the last six years in office, have continue to loot the state. While the state government has been battling to justify the N6 billion bond, the Muazu Babangida administration obtained from Zenith Bank under the guise of improving the infrastructure in Niger state, the governor has been fingered in another N10 Billion Hanging funds the administration recovered from the Paris Club, through Bizplus Consulting services Ltd. In a letter made available to our correspondent, in Minna, dated March 6, 2009, with reference Number SSG/OFF/033 signed by Dr. Mohammed K. Yahaya, SSG now Chief of staff, conveyed the Niger state government’s approval to the Consultant to recover Four million forty-seven thousand seven hundred twenty-two dollars and eighty cents ($4.047, 722.80) of the twenty million two hundred thirty-eight thousand six hundred thirteen dollars and ninety-nine cents ($20,238,613.99) of the hanging funds in the Paris Club. The letter stated inter lea “I write to convey approval of the Government of Niger state for your engagement on the condition that you shall be paid 15% commission upon full recovery of the Funds stated” Armed with the letter of approval and the mandate, the consultant swung into action and retrieved the sum of Four million forty-seven thousand seven hundred twenty-two dollars and eighty cents ($4,047,722.80) of the Twenty million two hundred thirty-eight thousand six hundred thirteen dollars and ninety-nine cents ($20, 238,613.99) of the hanging funds from Paris Club. Subsequent correspondence between Niger State Government and the Consultant, has all the complexion and trapping of fraud as the NSG refused to honor its own end of the bargain by paying the consultant. In a letter, exclusively obtained by Global Village Extra, Bizplus wrote “we write with much gratitude to confirm the payment of the first installment on the twenty million two hundred thirty-eight thousand six hundred thirteen dollars and ninety-nine cents ($20,238,613,99) agreed for refund to Niger state in over deductions on its London clubs loan. Consequently, we want to request for the payment of our 15% commission on the repatriated amount equal to the sum of six hundred seven thousand one hundred fifty-eight dollars and forty-two cents ($607,158.42) as agreed in our appointment letter” it stated. Bizplus noted that “Verifications on refunds due to state on the Paris club loans and the illegal first line charge deduction and others are still ongoing” The letter dated January 3, 2011 and signed by Niyi Atunbi, Managing consultant and Bashorun Fola Ogunmoyele, Associate Consultant, addressed to Dr. Aliyu, the Chief servant, Niger state, came after the government of Niger state, from all indications had embarked on shenanigan, after the recovered funds was diverted into a private account, and shared among top government functionaries in the cabinet. Sources at the Government House minna, told Global Village Extra, that the recovered money was not made known to the state House of assembly, just to facilitate the sharing of the funds. Speaking through his special Adviser on Media, Mr. Emma Maku Eti, on Monday, in Abuja, when our reporter went to his private residence for comments, at Aso Drive, the servant Leader, Mr Muazu, denied knowledge of any recovery of Funds from paris club, by Bizplus “ I am not aware of any Paris Club Funds” “These people are blackmailers, they want to extort money from me” he was quoted to have denied the existence of such transactions. But the SSG Letter of appointment to Bizplus as consultant, has made a dog breakfast of Governor Muazu’s claim. In the letter dated January, 3 2009, the then Secretary to the state Government, Dr.Mohammed K. yahaya, showed that Governor Muazu knew more than he admitted. When contacted the representative of Bizplus, Mr Niyi Confirmed the deal between the state government and Bizplus as he insisted Governor Muazu was being economical with truth. “It is true we were appointed consultant to recover the hanging funds in Paris Club, on behalf of Niger state government, it is also true that we recovered parts of the money and we have not been paid our commission, however, the case is in court. We have taken the government to court to recover our money. That is as much as I can say” Niyi said. A Global Village Extra investigations revealed that Bizplus was introduced to Governor Muazu, by Mallam Datti, a friend of the governor and former registrar of Federal University of Technology, FUT Minna to help recover the hanging funds in Paris Club. After the successful recovery of the first tranche of the sum of N10 billion, the money was allegedly diverted into a private account by the commissioner Finance on the instruction of governor muazu. For his middleman role in the deal, Datti, got the sum of N20 million from the permanent secretary, Alhaji Madugu Aliyu as appreciations. A team player in the appropriations of largesse, Datti , allegedly gave N1 million to the former SSG, Yahaya Kuta. Already a group of Anti- corruption body is compiling the sordid deeds of Governor muazu to call for his prosecution by the EFCC. Interestingly, governor Muazu is not a stranger to financial scandal. In 2008/2009, governor Muazu applied for N6billion bonds from Zenith bank for purported development of infrastructures in Niger state. The approval came vide the resolution of the highly tele guided, state Executive council resolution on Tuesday 11 November, 2008. In a letter to the Accountant General of the federation, jointly signed by the commissioner for Finance, Mr. Aminu Yusuf, the state accountant general, Abubakar Tukur, commissioner for finance, Sani Ndanusa and the Talban Minna, Muazu Babangida, dated December, 12 2008, entitled “Irrevocable standing payment order of deduction from Account of Niger state Government in respect of N6.0 Billion infrastructure development projects bond” Governor Muazu, instructed the Federal ministry of Finance to deduct from the state’s treasury allocation the principal sum and interest as per the attached schedule and pay same to Zenith Trust Company Ltd/Niger state infrastructure Development bond Account No. 6013808602. The detail of the authorized monthly deduction were as followed, Monthly deduction N142,377,502.73, with commencement date of 31 January, 2009; tenor 60 months, with termination date of December 31, 2013. With barely four months to the termination date, Niger state citizens could not point at any major infrastructural development in the state. According to Shehu Adamu, a political analyst “what we have on the ground is the continuous decay of the infrastructures in the state” he said. Shehu told this medium “I can assure you soon we will be inviting the EFCC and ICPC to the state to audit Niger state”
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 19:29:23 +0000
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