The
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal might be
in serious trouble following the latest move by the Senate.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal
The Senate has requested for the Bank Verification Numbers of some
companies linked to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Mr. Babachir Lawal, who were contracted for various projects on the
rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons, reports Punch.
It was gathered that the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the Mounting
Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East set up by the Senate to probe the
alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the IDPs may also re-invite
Lawal for questioning.
According to the report, a source revealed that the panel did not
want to rely only on the statements of account of the companies and has
now requested for the Bank Verification numbers of the companies.
The source said, “Apart from the statements of accounts
submitted to us during the investigative hearings, we have also
requested for the Bank Verification Numbers of the companies to
authenticate the details of transactions provided to us and for us to
know the operators of the accounts.”
Moreso, the contractors engaged for various projects on the
rehabilitation of the IDPs would also be summoned by the panel for
questioning.
The companies include Rholavision Engineering Limited, Josmond
Technology Limited, Medina International Global Limited, Muby Ventures
Nigeria Limited and JMT. The interim report of the committee had
indicted Lawal and the Presidential Initiative on the North-East being
superintended by the Office of the SGF.
Based on the interim report of the committee, the Senate had on
December 14, 2016, called for the resignation, probe and prosecution of
the SGF over alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the North-East
rehabilitation under his watch.
The lawmakers specifically called on security and anti-graft
agencies to arrest and prosecute Lawal, who is overseeing the
presidential initiative, for allegedly owning one of the companies
awarded contracts in the rehabilitation of the North-East.
Lawal was alleged to have resigned his directorship of the company
after becoming the SGF and after the company had executed the contract.
The SGF had denied the allegation, saying what the Senate said was “balderdash.” He said it was an attempt by the senators to malign him.
The source, who also dismissed Lawal’s claim, showed our
correspondent letters from the Office of the SGF confirming the receipt
of invitations from the Senate panel
One of such letters was signed by the Permanent Secretary (“SSO”), Mr. Aminu Nabegu, and dated November 28, 2016.
It was further learnt that the Senate was fast-tracking work on the final report.
The chairman of the committee, Shehu Sani, also told our
correspondent that the final report would be released once all
stakeholders had given their accounts on the management of the funds.
He said, “We are still inviting more companies, contractors and
more public officials. What we submitted was an interim report. We are
going to issue a conclusive report after the budget process.”
Sani has also said that nobody will prevent the Senate from continuing with the investigation of Lawal.
Sani said the committee was investigating ‘massive misappropriation
of funds in the North-East’ which would be pursed to a logical
conclusion.
He said while the party was not opposed to the ongoing probe, its
leadership was concerned with his choice of words at the Senate when the
matter was discussed.
Sani made the comment while speaking with journalists shortly after
a meeting with the members of the National Working Committee of the All
Progressives Congress led by the Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,
in Abuja on Tuesday.
Sani said he was at the national secretariat of the party to honour
a summon by the APC leadership over his use of words at the Senate
where he said that the President was deploying deodorant to fight
corrupt elements in his cabinet and insecticides against others.
He said, “First, I wanted clarification from them whether the
party is opposed to the probe of the looting of the funds of the
Presidential Initiative on the Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East.
They said the party is not opposed to it. I also ask them if the party
is opposed to my interim report and they said no and so, I ask what
their issues were.”
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