- His other financial impropriety
When Aliyu Muazu Babangida assumed office as the Niger State governor and with the acronym he gave himself as the Chief Servant of the state, the people of Niger state thought that the messiah that will move them from the maladies of the past administration has finally arrived.
However, investigation by Universalreportersindicates that with all the too much talk from the tough talking governor there is nothing to show in the state, rather what is witnessed in the state is just decay of infrastructure such decay is seen in Rijau to Kontogora road where they road is said to be in a very deplorable condition.
However as gathered by this medium the Niger state Governor Aliyu Muazu Babangida and his kitchen cabinet in the last six years, in office have continue to loot the state.
Even as the state government has been trying to rationalize the N=6.0billion bond , the Muazu Babangida government collected from the Zenith Bank under the pretext of improving the infrastructure in Niger state, the governor has been fingered in another N=10 Billion Hanging funds the administration recovered from the Paris Club, through Bizplus Consulting services Ltd.
In the letter obtained by dated March 6,2009, with reference Number SSG/OFF/033 signed by Dr. Mohammed K. Yahaya, SSG now Chief of staff obtained by universalreporters, communicated the Niger state government’s approval to the Consultant to recover the $4.047,722.80 of the $20,238,613,99 of the hanging funds in the Paris Club.
Stating further in the letter the then SSG said; “I write to convey approval of the Government of Niger state for your engagement on the condition that you shall be paid 15 0/0 commission upon full recover of the Funds stated”
However, it was gathered by this medium that the consultant immediately went into action soon after they got the letter of approval and the mandate, and the sum of $4,047,722.80 of the $20, 238,613,99 were retrieved of the hanging funds from Paris Club.
Meanwhile succeeding communications that transpired between Niger State Government and the Consultant has all the character and ensnaring of hoax.
Moreso in a letter, obtained by this medium, the consulting organization, Bizplus wrote” we write with much gratitude to confirm the payment of the first installment on the $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 150/0 commission on the repatriated amount equal to the sum of $607,158.42 as agreed in our appointment letter” it stated.
Bizplus also 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 said letter which dated January,3 2011 was 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 signs had gotten on shenanigan, following a discovery that the reclaimed funds was diverted into a private account, and shared among top government functionaries in the cabinet.
Sources at the Government House minna, who confided in this medium, that the recovered money was not made known to the state House of assembly, just to facilitate the sharing of the funds.
Meanwhile when contacted by this medium, the state governor who spoke through his special Adviser on Media, Mr. Emma Maku Eti, on Monday, in Abuja, when our reporter went to his private residence, 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 Funds”
“These people are blackmailers, they want to extort money from me” he was quoted to have denied, the existence of such transactions, by Maku
However it is on record that SSG Letter of appointment to Bizplus, as consultant, has made a dog breakfast of Governor Muazu’s 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 been 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 much I could say” Niyi said.
Our 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 recovered the hanging funds in Paris Club.
After the successful recover of the first tranche of the sum of N=10 billion, the money was allegedly diverted into a private account by the commissioner Finance on the instruction s of governor Muazu.
For his middleman role in the deal, Datti, got the sum of N=20million from the permanent secretary, Alhaji Madugu Aliyu as appreciations.
A team player in the appropriations of largesse, Datti , allegedly gave N=1million 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.
Meanwhile it interesting to know that Governor Aliyu Muazu is not a stranger to financial scandal for instance 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, which was entitled “Irrevocable standing payment order of deduction from Account of Niger state Government in respect of N=6.0 Billion infrastructure development projects bond”
The state 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 N=142,377,502.73, with commencement date of 31 January, 2009; tenor 60 months, with termination date of December, 31 2013.
