A journalists' body, the Coalition of West African
Investigative Journalists (COWAfIJ), has called for investigation into
allegation that the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural
Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad used multiple identities and
falsified documents in operating 37 bank accounts.
COWAFIJ made this call on Saturday at a press conference it
held at International Press Centre, Lagos where it urged President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu to order probe into the matter.
Speaking, its General-Secretary, Comrade Gboyega Adeoye, said
the body of investigative journalists across West Africa, with the set
objective to expose and fight corrupt practices and all social ills bedevilling
the region has done its own findings and found Ahmad guilty as charged.
It said, the investigation by federal government becomes
necessary considering that Ahmad is in charge of public fund through budgetary
allocation for Rural Electrification Agency and grants for Nigeria
Electrification Project, NEP (a department in REA), from development banks.
It further alleged that private investigation conducted by the
watchdog journalists’ group revealed many discrepancies in Ahmad’s date of
birth and the account name, saying the whole situation raised suspicion of the
REA boss’ involvement in fraud.
“Ahmad juggled his names, using: Salihijo Ahmad Ahmad, Ahmad
Ahmad Salihijo and Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad as account names in the various bank
accounts belonging to him, with the two in his mother's name earlier mentioned
in similar fashion: Bilikisu Ahmad Salihijo (in Zenith Bank) and Salihijo
Bilikisu in Jaiz Bank.
“Same discrepancy goes with the dates of birth of the
accounts' holder, reading: October 20, 1983, July 27, 2009, January 1, 1989,
May 3, 2012, January 29, 2015, August 24, 1985, March 30, 2004, among others.
“We make bold to also tell the world that only two of these 37
accounts were declared in Ahmad's Asset Declaration forms he submitted to the
Code of Conduct Bureau and dated September 3, 2020,” Adeoye claimed.
The group urged President Tinubu to initiate process to
investigate Ahmad, adding that if Tinubu fails it would take the matter on
itself by dragging the REA MD to court.
"This is a matter of public interest. While we call on
President Tinubu to order investigation into this matter of a public servant in
possession of 37 bank accounts, all linked to his BVN, by the appropriate law
enforcement agencies, we also warn that failure to act, we shall be compelled
to draw prosecutorial power from the 2022 decision of the Supreme Court of
Nigeria in the case of RAPHAEL OBIJIAKU V CHIEF JOE OBIJIAKU & 2 ORS (2022)
17 NWLR (PT. 1857) 377 at 405 Paras E- F, which empowers private citizens to
institute and prosecute crimes of any kind without fiat from the
Attorneys-General,” Adeoye declared.
Adeoye added that since Ahmad took over in December 2019,
NEP's repayable grants from World Bank and African Development Bank to improve
access to electricity in underprivileged communities across Nigeria, which is its
core mandate totalled over $550m, approximately N426bn.
He however, asked World Bank to stay action on its plan to
give NEP a fresh $750m grant until the spending of the initial grant are
accounted for.
"Some days back, we listened with surprise and sadness to
announcement by World Bank Director of Strategy and Operations, Western/Central
African Region, Ms Elizabeth Huybens that this coming August another $750m will
be made available to NEP in grant.
"We entreat the bank to tarry until those currently
charged with managing the affairs of NEP, particularly as regards the loan and
contract awards concerning the grant and past spending are subjected to close
scrutiny by relevant enforcement agencies," the accountability
journalists' group's General Secretary said.
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