TheNewsGuru

Tag: Babachir lawal

  • Senate indicts suspended SGF, Lawal, says he collected N507m bribe

    The final report of the Senate ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East has revealed that contractors paid over N500m in kickbacks to a company linked to the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir David Lawal.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that an interim report, late last year, had indicted Lawal for due process violation in award of contracts under Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE)

    The over N500m discovered by the committee was paid to Rholavision Engineering Limited.

    The report presented by the chairman of the committee Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), to Senate at plenary yesterday is expected to be considered today.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the Yemi Osinbajo-led committee investigating allegations against Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Amb. Ayo Oke had last week requested the Senate to produce relevant documents on the matter.

    In the final report, the Sani panel submitted that N507m was paid into Lawal’s company account by seven PINE contractors.

    It alleged that JOSMON technologies limited which got two contracts, amounting to N530m from PINE, paid N317m to the company of the suspended SGF in 23 transfers.

    The panel also said JMI global technologies limited, was awarded eight contracts amounting to N199m by PINE and it paid N30m from Zenith bank account number 114357188 into Rholavision account with ECObank.

    Also, Messers Adamawa Borehole and Drilling Company which was awarded contract to renovate seven number of 18 classrooms at Yeskule Girls Secondary School Michika in Adamawa state at N54.8m transferred N18.3m to the suspended SGF’s company.

    Another N58m was paid to Lawal’s company by Yuby Ventures limited which was awarded a contract of five number of 15 classrooms at Hausari Primary School in Adamawa.

    The panel also uncovered that Barde Brothers multi-Services Limited which was awarded seven contracts for renovation of classrooms in Adamawa state at N145.6m paid N71m to Rholavision in three instalments.

    The company also paid another N13m into personal account (no. 0003004417) of the suspended SGF at Diamond bank in three instalments.

    The committee said it discovered that the suspended SGF resigned in September 2016, but that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has confirmed that he was the signatory to accounts of the company as at Wednesday, 15th February 2017.

    “In the course of its investigation, the committee observed that Rholavision Engineering Limited has become a destination pool for companies that were awarded contracts by PINE and other government agencies to make payments into its (Rholavision) account no. 0182001809 with ECObank, “it said.

    The committee recommended that further investigation be carried out by relevant agencies of government on why contract benefiting companies paid over N500m into Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company in which the suspended SGF has interest.

    “The banks transaction of Rholavision Engineering Limited and the confirmation by CBN that the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of Babachir David Lawal is still the signatory to Rholavision and 13 other accounts, some with different names.

    “The committee is of the opinion that Lawal has contravened the provision of part 1 of the fifth schedules of the 1999 Constitution and the breach the oaths of office as SGF and therefore he should be prosecuted,” the committee stated.

    The panel also said that all resources that had been misapplied or stolen by public officials should be retrieved and that anybody found culpable of contravening any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act and the Federal government financial rules and regulations pertaining to the award of these contracts should be duly prosecuted.

    It also said that relevant agencies should ensure that contracts partially executed but fully paid for must be completed by the concerned contractors.

    The panel further said that since it was observed that there was no bill of quantities on most of the contracts awarded by PINE under the emergency situation, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) should undertake a revaluation of all such contracts to recover any proceeds from over-inflated contracts.

     

  • Grass-cutting scandal: Senate panel indicts, recommends prosecution for suspended SGF

    Grass-cutting scandal: Senate panel indicts, recommends prosecution for suspended SGF

    The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East has indicted the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, for mismanagement.

    The investigative panel specifically asked relevant agencies to prosecute the suspended SGF for allegedly awarding contracts worth N500m, through the Presidential Initiative on North-East, a rehabilitation programme under his office, to a company in which he had interests.

    This was part of the recommendations in the final report by the panel, which was laid before the Senate by its Chairman, Senator Shehu Sani, at the plenary on Wednesday.

    The report was later sighted by our correspondent.

    In the final report, the panel recommended that “all resources that have been misapplied or stolen by public officials should be retrieved and anybody found culpable of contravening any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations, pertaining to the award of these contracts, should be duly prosecuted by the relevant authorities.

    “That the banks transactions of Rholavision Engineering Limited and the confirmation by (the) Central Bank of Nigeria that the Bank Verification Number of Babachir David Lawal is still the signatory to Rholavision Engineering Limited accounts and 13 other accounts, some with different names. The committee is of the opinion that Babachir David Lawal has contravened the provision of Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As amended); the Public Procurement Act 2007 and breach the Oaths of Office as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and should be prosecuted by the relevant authorities; and

    “That the committee also recommends further investigation by relevant agencies of government on why contract-benefitting companies paid over N500m into Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company in which Babachir David Lawal has interest.”

    The panel also stated that since all the contracts awarded by PINE were done under the principle of emergency situation, PINE should forward a detailed report of all contracts awarded by it to the Bureau of Public Procurement in accordance with Section 43 (iv) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    It added that since it was observed that there was no bill of quantities on most of the contracts awarded by PINE under the emergency situation, the BPP should undertake a revaluation of all such contracts to recover any proceeds from over-inflated contracts.

    The panel further recommended that the relevant agencies should ensure that contracts, partially executed but fully paid for, must be completed by the concerned contractors or be asked to refund the equivalent money of outstanding jobs to the government treasury.

    The Senate had earlier called for Lawal’s resignation, probe and prosecution based on the interim report by the committee, which was released on December 14, 2016.

    The lawmakers specifically called on security and anti-graft agencies to arrest and prosecute Lawal for allegedly owning and being a signatory to one of the companies awarded contracts in the rehabilitation of the North-East.

    Lawal had last Thursday failed to appear before the committee on his third invitation.

    The lawmakers had said the non-appearance of the former SGF would not stop the committee from presenting its final report on its probe into the alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the rehabilitation of the geopolitical zone.

    The former SGF had been re-invited by the committee to answer questions on his role in the alleged mismanagement of funds by the PINE under his watch.

  • BREAKING: Suspended SGF absent as Senate committee begins hearing

    Suspended Secretary to the Federal Government, Babachir Lawal, was on Thursday absent at the Nigerian Senate ad-hoc committee members begin an investigative hearing into the circumstances leading to his suspension.

    The Committee, however, gave him until 12 noon to appear.

    The suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, who was found culpable for his alleged role in a grass-cutting N200 million contract in the Northeast, was billed to appear before Senate Adhoc Committee on today.

    Mr. Lawal was expected to come defend himself against the allegations that his company got a N200 million grass-cutting contract from an establishment under the supervision of his office, the Presidential Initiative on the North East, to clear “invasive plant species” in Yobe State.

    Mr. Lawal had earlier been indicted of the same crime by the Senate, but the lawmakers had to summon him again after his suspension by President Muhammadu Buhari.

     

     

  • I’m not aware of any suspension, suspended SGF, Babachir Lawal declares

    I’m not aware of any suspension, suspended SGF, Babachir Lawal declares

    Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday met with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, barely an hour after the announcement of his suspension by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the closed-door meeting is connected with the work of the Presidential Committee set up to investigate allegations of misconduct against the SGF.

    However, when accosted by state house correspondents on his suspension, Lawal said: “who announced it?”. When he was told that it was the presidency, Lawal replied “then ask them. Why are you asking me? Who is the presidency?”

    When told about the press release signed by President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and Lawal said: “I have not seen it. I should have been given. I have not seen the press release, so I cannot comment on it.”

    The Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayo Oke, who was also suspended, was seen around the Vice President’s office immediately after the departure of the SGF.

    Oke, who noticed the presence of State House correspondents, however turned back and attempted to pass through Vice President’s exit gate.

    He was prevented from going out through that point by security officials; the security also stopped the DG from passing through the service chief’s gate.

    The NIA boss later left the Presidential Villa without seeing the Vice-President.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari on Wednesday ordered the immediate suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Amb. Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of investigation of allegations levelled against them.

    Media and Publicity Special Adviser, Mr Femi Adesina, said the president ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the SGF, Mr David Lawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

    The President also ordered a full-scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.

    “The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.

    “The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation,’’ the statement added.

     

     

    NAN

  • Alleged Corruption: Buhari removes Lawal as committee chairman, appoints Osinbajo

    Following alleged involvement in different cases of bribery and corruption and the continuous public outcry for the his probe, President Muhammadu Buhari has removed Secretary to the State Government, Eng. Babachir Lawal as the chairman of a Presidential Committee on the Reconstruction of Federal Government Boards of Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions.

    The president has however appointed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as the chair of the committee, while the chairman of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies (NDLEA) Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah was appointed head of secretariat.

    “The SGF is no longer in charge of that responsibility, for obvious reasons,” a source spoke on condition of anonymity said

    It was gathered that Abdallah-led team now meets frequently at Wuse II, Abuja, and “s working vigorously and will soon conclude its work after which it will submit its report to Mr President.

    President Buhari has begun the search for a new SGF following the indictment of Lawal by the Nigerian Senate.

    The upper chamber of the National Assembly accused Lawal of corruption in the award of contracts at the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE).

    Buhari, in his New Year message, noted that his “government is aware of some mistakes and wrongdoings in handling the affairs of IDPs. We are taking measures to correct those mistakes and punish the culprits”.

    Recall that Buhari in October, 2015 constituted an eight-member committee, headed by Babachir, to compile names of prospective appointees into federal government boards, parastatals and agencies.

    Members of the committee included Alhaji Mai Mala Buni (northeast), Alhaji Zakari Ede (northcentral), Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir (northwest), Chief Hillard Etagbo Eta (south-south), Chief Pius Akinyelure (southwest), Chief Emmanuel Eneukwe (southeast) and Mr. Gideon Sammani, a senior special assistant to the president as secretary.

    The committee, however, had disagreements over certain issues in November.

    Buhari, in a response, directed Osinbajo to meet stakeholders including the Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman Abdulaziz Yari, APC Governors Forum Chairman Rochas Okorocha and representatives of the governors in each of the six geopolitical zones.

    The governors nominated were: Jibrilla Bindow (northeast), Atiku Bagudu (northwest), Simon Lalong (northcentral), Rochas Okorocha (southeast), Adams Oshiomhole (south-south), and Akinwumi Ambode (southwest).

    They committee swung into action and reviewed names of the prospective appointees collated by the SGF from the 36 states and FCT which was reportedly done without recourse to governors and other stakeholders of the APC.

    The SGF was accused of not treating the issue of board appointments with levity.

    He allegedly failed to carry members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council along while refusing to consult governors, a development that set them against Buhari.

    President Buhari is expected to make appointments into no fewer than 500 parastatals this year (2017).

     

  • Exposed: How Buhari’s SGF, Lawal got N200m bribe from weed clearing contract

    Facts have emerged how the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, who owns Rholavision Engineering Ltd, got N200m kickback from a contract he awarded for the clearing of “invasive plant species” in Yobe state.

    In the course of an investigation conducted by TheNewsGuru on the several corruption allegations leveled against the SGF by the Senate, we exclusively obtained bank statements and relevant documents which revealed how a company, named Josmon Technologies Ltd, got contract from Lawal’s Presidential Initiative on Northeast (PINE) to clear grass for N248, 939, 231, and made cash deposits of N10m into the SGF’s company’s account (Rholavision Engineering Ltd) 20 times from March 29.

    In the bank statements of Rholavision and some other related documents obtained by TheNewsGuru, Josmon Technologies Ltd, the company, which got the contract from Lawal to clear grass for N248, 939, 231, made cash deposits of N10m into Lawal’s company’s account 20 times from March 29.

    Lawal who had awarded the contract to Josmon Technologies on March 8. continued to receive cash deposits from Josmos Tech until September when he later resigned from Rholavision.

    However, it will be recalled that the SGF while recently reacting to a call for his resignation by the senate said that he had resigned from his company on August 15, 2015, and as a result was not a party to whatever business it contracted.

    Notwithstanding, another document from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed that Lawal was the director of Rholavision until September 16, 2016 before he wrote to the commission about his intention to sell off 1, 500, 000 ordinary shares.

    The senate had called for the resignation of Lawal over alleged corruption in the management of funds for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the northeast.

    PINE, which was later renamed to Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI), and placed under custody of Theophilus Danjuma, a retired general, could not account for N2.5bn allocated to it for the alleviation of the suffering of IDPs in the northeast while under Lawal.

    Lawal, was under severe criticism of the Senate over comments credited to him wherein he slammed the Senate for linking him to the alleged diversion of the 223-million-naira meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast.

    The Senate condemned Babachir’s comment saying it contradicts the position of the Buhari-led corruption government, however the SGF, in his own reaction, dispelled the senate’s stand saying it is all nonsense.

    See some of the documents…

  • Senate demands sack of SGF over alleged mismanagement of IDP funds

    Senate demands sack of SGF over alleged mismanagement of IDP funds

    The senate has demanded that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, resign from office over allegations bothering on mismanagement of funds set aside for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    The upper legislative chamber took this decision following the indictment of Lawal by a committee that investigated corruption in the management of funds for IDPs in the northeast.

    ‎At a public hearing last week, Umar Gulani, secretary of the Presidential Initiative on the Northeast (PINE), an initiative which Lawal oversees, could not account for N2.5bn meant for internally displaced persons in the region.

    Gulani had claimed that N203m out of the money was spent on clearing grass in Yobe state.

    But his claim was countered by Yobe state information commissioner, Mohammed Liman.

    On Wednesday, a senate ad hoc committee on‎ humanitarian crisis in the northeast chaired by Shehu Sani submitted it is report, which indicted the initiative.

    After a debate on the report‎, Baba Kaka Garbai moved a motion for the resignation of Lawal, who heads the initiative.

    The upper legislative chamber thereafter resolved to ask Lawal to resign and be prosecuted for corruption.