News
Wike on Abuja multi-billion contract bazaar mess: I didn’t report anybody to EFCC
Despite his complete revulsion at the messy award of contracts in the The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by his successor, Nyesom Wike, the new Minister, on Saturday denied inviting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate his immediate predecessor, Muhammad Musa Bello.
A palpably furious Minister had on Friday during a visit to the sites of some projects, expressed disgust over obvious irregularities in the award of contracts and other such matters, which he said were unacceptable, but failed to state the steps he would take to redeem the situation, only for media reports to claim later that he had written to the two anti-graft bodies to wade into the matter.
But pooh-poohing the report, Anthony Ogunleye, a director in the FCT, dismissed the the reports as entirely baseless and without any merit whatsoever., adding that although the Minister, during his routine inspections of various projects within the FCT, expressed concerns and frustrations regarding irregularities observed in the procurement and execution of certain projects, he did not contemplate or authorise any action against anyone.
Stating that the reports making the round are designed to mischievously sow discord and confusion, he, urged the public and well-meaning Nigerians to exercise caution when they encounter such unfounded reports.
Some of the projects the minister had faulted when he led officials of the ministry to inspect them, included the contract for the Ushafa-Bwari road, which had gone through various variations, describing it as very embarrassing, saying his administration would not accept
Accompanied by the FCT, Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud and other top management staff of the FCT, to the Ushafa-Bwari road and Lower Usuma Dam to inspect projects awarded by the FCDA and FCTA, on Friday, he described what he saw as unfortunate, adding that it was very embarrassing to see that the road which was awarded in 2017 was yet to be completed despite the amount of money paid to the contractor.
“This is not what we are going to take. The job was awarded in 2017 at the cost of N20 billion, in 2020 the revised the contract sum to N50 billion. As I speak to you, we have paid almost N50 billion what is outstanding from what the man in charge has said is N900 million.
“Now the N900 million will not be enough to complete the job that they have done about 90 per cent and thereby we move to another variation. This is what we are not going to accept. Even the engineering service, we are going to overhaul the entire system.
‘I have never seen a thing like this before in my life. What you see in FCDA contract varies from N10 billion to N120 billion, from N50 billion to N200 billion. It is alarming and I am not going to accept it,” he said.
While speaking of the Lower Usuma Dam, the minister said he was informed the contract was awarded in August 2022 as an emergency contract, questioning why an emergency contract was yet to be executed more than a year later.
“I was told that the Usuma Water System contract has been awarded as an emergency contract. We just heard now that it has not been awarded fully, that it was just a mere letter of intent to the contractor since last August.
“We know the importance of this project because it supplies water to our people in the city and these environments. Water is very important, so I have directed that it is not an emergency again if something has happened since last year, you called it an emergency till now, and it is no longer an emergency.
“If at all it was an emergency, we are going to start all over, and we are going to supervise the procurement process, and we will allow other companies to bid as far as this project is concerned,” he said.
The minister further said that the administration has chosen about 10 contracts, if not more, and has called the companies and has agreed with them on the contracts.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja nullifying the timelines issued for the conduct of party primaries and the nomination of candidates.
Alex Izinyon SAN, leading a team of lawyers of the commission in a notice of appeal dated May 25, raised nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Apart from raising the issue of jurisdiction, which it said the lower court did not determine, INEC also maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
Arguing that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant, the commission also stressed the lower court misinterpreted the provisions of the electoral act.
It said: “The high court erred in law when it held that: ‘It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
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