Desert Herald in an exclusive investigation reveals how officials of the Bauchi Ministry for Local Government affairs connive to corner billions into their private pockets through shoddy deals.
In a receipted petition dated August 21, 2019, issued by an anti-corruption group and signed by Mr. Debo Adeniran as the Director-General of CACOL, it was alleged that on December 31, 2018, the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs vide letter Ref. No. MLGA/ADM/S/333/T, had awarded a contract to Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited, Bauchi for the supply of Agro-Allied Chemicals for a fumigation exercise at primary schools blocks and other public buildings at the contract sum of N418, 425,000.00 which was neither advertized for bidding nor made public.
The petitioners had alleged that the said Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited did not at any time tender or solicited for the said contract but the company’s platform was used by one Yusuf Abdullahi of ATAP who is suspected to be a front used to allegedly divert public funds under the guise of the said contract.
In the exclusive petition which was obtained by DESERT HERALD, the
petitioners stated that from an in-depth investigation conducted by this medium
within five local government areas of the state;- Bauchi, Alkaleri, Warji,
Ningi and Ganjuwa, reveals that such an exercise was never conducted in any of
the existing public schools and buildings anywhere as claimed, stating that on
award of the supply of the Agro-Allied chemicals, the Corporate Account of one
Nazir Gidado (Managing Director of Wuro-Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited) was
credited with the sum of N186, 200,000.00 being 50% of the total contract sum
as mobilization fee.
It was revealed that the said down payment of 50% mobilization violates the
tenets of Financial Regulation and Public Procurement Act of 2010 if properly
examined although, Bauchi State Edict is said to have authorized a mobilization
fee of up to 60%.
“The, said contract was awarded to Yusuf Abdullahi of ATAP as his contact address while the platform of WURO SUYO INVESTMENT NIGERIA LIMITED was used as there is no trace of where the said exercise was conducted to justify the expended amount despite several unsubstantiated claims by the permanent secretary of the embattled ministry, Ali Babayo.
DESERT HERALD learnt that Yusuf Abdullahi was hurriedly dragged to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria
Limited for reneging on the agreement of payment of 10% of the total contract
sum to the company for the use of their platform.
“In a letter dated 20th February, 2019 addressed to Yusuf Abdullahi by AN-NUR
CHAMBERS on behalf of Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited for the immediate
payment of the sum of N38.2 million being 10% of the proceed of contract
executed by Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited and some vital documents of
the company, AN-NUR chambers demanded among other things the immediate payment
of the demanded sum alongside the following vital documents within 7 (seven)
days of service of that notice.
The documents include;- the contract agreement, certificate of due process, progress pictures of the contract execution, letters of certification of contract execution from each of the 20 local government areas and certificate of completion of contract and receipt of revenue of the company in respect of the contract.
“Responding to the letter of AN-NUR CHAMBERS, K. Magaji & Associates, Solicitors to Yusuf Abdullahi stated that their client had earlier receipted a letter dated January 17, 2019 from Sahel Chambers and the parties had sat and resolved their differences on January 30, 2019.
The case was later amicably resolved and withdrawn from EFCC after the intervention of legal practitioners of both parties on the agreement of the payment of N15million in two installments for the withdrawal of the case from EFCC. As contained in the agreement, Yusufu was to pay the sum of N7.5million on June 25, 2019 while the remaining balance shall be paid on the day Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited withdraws it’s’ complain from EFCC.
“The Ministry was allegedly aware of the incapacitation of Yusuf Abdullahi to handle such an important contract that was suspiciously awarded to him without having a qualified company and without bidding but invited possibly to serve as a ‘front’ for the scam as stated.
“If not for fraud, how was Yusuf Abdullahi considered suitable for the contract without valid particulars as required by law?”
In compliance with the ethics of the journalism profession of balancing, a copy of the said petition was reproduced in print by this medium for the perusal of the State Ministry for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs officials and addressed to the Hon. Commissioner which was receipted by the permanent secretary, Ali Babayo with a request to have their response, possibly with supporting documents to justify the award of the contract and execution, including the list of those public schools and buildings that benefitted from the exercise which can be identified for further verification for objectivity. That was not done within the agreed period. Instead, it was a cook and bull story of defense while dodging the main substance.
“We shall also be glad to know if it is within the Constitutional powers and operational guidelines of the ministry to award contracts for fumigation of public schools and public buildings in the local government areas as was the case in question”.
Reacting to the petition, the permanent secretary in the company of all the directors and Yusuf Abdullahi said: “Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited was overpaid the sum of N9million which was reported to EFCC in respect of the contract. We are waiting for that refund and the contract was executed. There was no scam as claimed”. That was a claim, which Ali Babayo failed woefully to prove with convincing facts for conviction.
The lingering question begging for answer that should be handled by anti-corruption agencies to expose any possible fraud and diversion of public funds is why was the contract awarded to Yusuf Abdullahi who had no registered company of his own and the ministry was involved in the private affair that ensued between Wuro Suyo Investment Nigeria Limited and Yusuf Abdullahi? And why was the contract overpaid as claimed by Ali Babayo? And why was the clause in the official Award of Contract Agreement of not TRANSFERING AWARDED CONTRACT or letting out to another person or party violated in this case and protected?
It could be recalled that it is the same ministry that awarded contracts for the supply of mahogany and loin cloth for the burial of the dead at Bauchi central Muslim cemetery at over N2.3billion in four years to some unregistered companies.
This investigation was originally published on DESERT HERALD. Read the full article here
