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How Dissolved National Steel Council Wrecks Nigeria
A petition submitted by a civil society at the National Assembly, has unravelled how the recently dissolved National Steel Council board wrecked the organisation and the Nation.
Despite the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier dissolved all boards of the federal government agencies and parastatals, that of the National steel council breached the Presidential order and was still operating until the Senate, through a motion and the House of Representatives, committee on Steel Development asked that the council should be dissolved.
The Senate’s resolution followed a civil society organisation (CSO), Alliance for Credible Legislative Conducts (ACLC) called on the National Assembly to investigate the National Steel Council (NSC) for disregarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s order for dissolution which the Board feigned ignorance that they were not affected.
The council was dissolved in May after several outcry, but documents obtained by journalists showed that the dissolved council flagrantly undermined the Act establishing it to perpetrate all manners of infractions.
Before they were dissolved, the NSC board informed the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, of an alleged N1 billion fraud that it linked to its Executive Secretary, Ambassador Abdulqadir Musafari.
The council, in a March 15, 2024 letter, told the minister that Musafari had allegedly “failed, refused and/or neglected to avail the Council of any information concerning his activities on behalf of the council, if duly authorized.”
But revelations have emerged that the dissolved council approved finance for themselves above the threshold stipulated by Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPP) and when the Executive Secretary rejected their offer, hence the allegations of administrative and financial infractions in the council.
It was gathered that upon inauguration, the council took over the administrative process of making a request to the Minister to supply office requirements, procure vehicles, appoint legal counsel/consultant without budgetary provisions and due process, a matter which requires the input of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Also, it was gathered that the council misrepresented their mandate and allocated N75 million for their chairman while council members were allocated M50 million.
It was gathered that the Executive Secretary who is to run the administrative and financial aspects of the council was only allocated N25 million.
Documents showed that the council rented two offices without budgetary allocation and paid a deposit N50 million for an office it never occupied and was later collected back by one of the council members because the council could not afford a 5 year lease which is contrary to financial regulations.
In their quest to perform beyond a supervisory role, the dissolved council made attempts to open an account in a commercial bank which is against the TSA policy of the federal government.
Facts also revealed that the fact finding committee appointed by the Minister of Steel Development in a letter requested for about N10m as its allowance in a letter to the Chairman of the dissolved council.
This, according to the Civil Society organisation “puts a question of credibility and objectivity to the report submitted by that kind of committee”.
To this end, a civil society organisation (CSO), Alliance for Credible Legislative Conducts (ACLC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the anti corruption agencies to investigate the dissolved council and ensure that anything taken illegally is returned.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted cocaine hidden inside the walls of several suitcases.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a post on Sunday, attaching the videos of the seized contraband on X.
He decried a situation whereby the smugglers went to extreme lengths, factory-fitting the hard drugs within the luggage with surgical precision.
“Narco-trend update: Strewing the walls of suitcases, in factory fitting precision, with cocaine, must have taken lot of efforts and resources but at the end #ndlea_nigeria officers still uncovered all as revealed in these videos that captured the latest seizure by #ndlea,” the statement read.
According to the video released by the agency, officers were slicing through suitcase linings to remove the hidden cocaine.
Alex Otti, governor of Abia state, says he has no intention of running for the senate after his “eight-year” stint.
Otti spoke at a reception held in his honour by the Anambra Development Unions Association, Aba branch.
He dismissed reports suggesting he was eyeing a senate seat, describing them as “unfounded” and “misleading”.
“When I finish my eight years here, I will retire. I am not going to Abuja,” the governor said.
He also urged critics to refrain from spreading what he termed “falsehoods”, adding that the political space should be opened up for younger Nigerians.
“We are no longer that young. Society is changing, and the young ones are rising. It’s time we give them the opportunity,” he said.
The governor also spoke about plans to revisit the 2011 disengagement of 154 civil servants, most of whom were teachers.
He said he had directed the head of service to conduct an urgent review of the matter and propose possible remedies.
Otti said those below the age of 65 might be re-engaged on a contract basis, particularly to address the shortage of teachers in the state.
He faulted the disengagement, which was reportedly based on state of origin, describing it as “unjust” and “illegal”.
“For those outside the age bracket, we’ll find fair compensation mechanisms,” the governor said.
Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to justice, inclusion, and “correcting the wrongs of past administrations”.
Atedo Peterside, founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, has faulted the invitation of Muhammadu Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) headquarters in Abuja.
Sanusi was invited for questioning over alleged killings during the recent Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
In a letter dated April 4 and signed by Olajide Ibitoye, commissioner of police, on behalf of the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of the force intelligence department (FID), Abuja, the police asked Sanusi to attend an investigative meeting on April 8.
During the Eid-el-Fitr celebration last Sunday, some members of a vigilance group who were said to be part of Sanusi’s entourage were allegedly attacked and killed.
Sanusi presided over the Eid prayer at the Kofar Mata Eid prayer ground in Kano.
Abba Yusuf, governor of the state, and other government officials attended the Eid prayer session.
The Kano police command had constituted an eight-member panel to investigate the killing.
Abdullahi Kiyawa, the Kano police spokesperson, said the incident occurred despite the ban on durbar activities by the force.
In a post on X on Sunday, Peterside said the Kano police command should have quizzed the monarch.
“What is Nigeria Police Force trying to turn Nigeria into? Has Nigeria become a Police State? Is there any question that the Commissioner of Police cannot legitimately ask the Emir of Kano in Kano on behalf of his Abuja bosses?” he asked.
Peterside added that invitations across state boundaries are a “form of harassment” and should be discouraged.