News

Again, Group Petitions EFCC, Says Alia Govt Allegedly Mismanaged N66bn Benue Funds in 4 Months

Published

1 year ago

March 4, 2024

ADMIN

A pro-democracy group known as Concerned Citizens of Benue for Good Governance has sent a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to begin investigation of Governor Hyacinth Alia and his officials over money laundering, diversion of public funds to the tune of N66 billion and abuse of office.

It is the second petition bordering on embezzlement of public funds that has gone to EFCC against the government of Alia in less than one week.

An international reputation lawyers’ group, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), had earlier written to the anti-corruption Commission to arrest, interrogate and prosecute the Special Adviser to Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura and others for alleged diversion of over N20 billion belonging to the 23 local governments of the state.

In the current petition also copied to the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; Concerned Citizens of Benue for Good Governance alleged that only within his first four months in office, Governor Alia’s administration diverted over N46 billion from the state coffers on fake contracts and refurbished vehicles, among other phantom projects.

“What is happening with Benue’s resources under the watch of Governor Alia is worse than a locust. Governor Alia has spent a whopping amount of N46 Billion in just four months in office awarding fictitious contracts, none of which is ongoing. Contracts are awarded to cronies without due process.

“In August, the Governor announced that his government had awarded contracts for the construction of 16 township roads in Makurdi at the cost of N6 billion. The road projects were yet to start anywhere in the state capital, when suddenly, Governor Alia announced that the State Executive Council had given him approval to increase the contract amount for the 16 road projects from N6 billion to N 9 billion. The award of these contracts did not follow due process but only done as directed by Governor Alia”, the petition said.

The petitioners pointed out that the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) law otherwise known as Due Process Law is in existence in Benue State, but Governor Alia is not obeying the law in the award of contracts. They accused him of awarding the 16 roads contracts for the initial N6 billion when he was yet to constitute a cabinet in place.

The group further stated that records it had reliably obtained showed that the contracts were over valued and used as conduit pipes for the benefit of Governor Alia, stressing that the projects were not covered in the budget of the state and no approval was given by the state House of Assembly.

The group also asked EFCC to investigate the procurement of buses the Alia administration claimed to have purchased as palliative measures. The ground claimed that the vehicles were refurbished and their prices inflated to enable the Governor and other government officials to divert the funds.

“On the 5th of September, 2023, Governor Alia released N1,273,875,000.00 (N1.2 billion) for the procurement of 100 refurbished 2017/2016 Hummer buses for palliative measures and 50 fairly used Hilux 2018/2019 model vehicles for other purposes. The company known as Lajec Engineering Services Ltd owned by some cronies of the Governor were given the contract to procure the vehicles.

“Governor Alia again on the 27th of September, 2023, released additional N736,375,000.00, for an unspecified number of fairly used Hummer buses for palliative measures and fairly used Toyota Hilux (2018/2019 model) for other purposes with the (contract no. BSPPC-43/2023). The job was also awarded to Lajec Engineering Limited.

“Again on the 28th September, 2023, the Alia government again released N 2,236,000,000.00 (N2.2 billion) to Lajec Engineering Services Ltd for the procurement of the same refurbished Hummer buses and some fairly used Toyota Hilux (2018/2019) model vehicles”, the group stated.

The petitioners also alleged that Governor Alia spent several billions on his vehicles and those of other government officials including State Assembly members with the procurements not following laid down procedures, a move they claimed was designed to benefit cronies of the Governor.

The group accused Governor Alia of freezing all the accounts of the Benue State Government while he makes frequent withdrawals at his discretion, depending on his personal conviction, interest and priority.

“It is worthy to stress that the massive looting of state funds is being diverted for personal and primitive accumulation of wealth as evidenced by the purchase of houses in New GRA, Makurdi, Guzape- Abuja, Maitama and Asokoro. And being an American citizen, the Governor has through his cronies bought houses in America.”

The petitioners said governor Alia has embarked on projects only as a means of siphoning funds of the state through the award of contracts such as the renovation of the state secretariat at the whooping sum of over N2 billion to a female friend, while the contract is yet to be executed.

The group accused the governor of embarking on the construction of a flyover at the High Level roundabout at the cost he has claimed to be N6 billion in an area which never experiences traffic congestion and which project is also not captured in the budget and is now talking about a similar contract in Gboko. They said the flyovers do not have any known architectural designs and will only serve as a means for fleecing public resources in the hands of Governor Alia.

The petitioners wondered why despite the huge allocations accruing to the state following the removal of subsidy, Governor Alia has chosen to ignore the basic aspects of development and has chosen to amass wealth for himself and his cronies.

The Concerned Citizens of Benue for Good Governance said Governor Alia has not demonstrated any iota of transparency and accountability despite the unprecedented federal allocations coming into the state as a result of fuel subsidy removal, stressing that he has refused to clear the arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities and is busy building his personal wealth.

It said allocations have increased by nearly 70% since June 2023 at both state and local government levels, yet, Governor Alia has not provided any information regarding how much his government is receiving and what is being spent, adding that the Governor has been deducting huge sums from the state treasury in the name of security votes without applying the funds for the use they are meant for.

The petitioners are also demanding that the EFCC should investigate the Special Adviser to Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura and others for alleged diversion of local government funds.

The group accused Alia’s government of embezzling N20 billion of local government funds between June and December 2023. It said the LG Bureau under Government Alia has been using some of its staff and privately owned companies to siphon the funds meant for local governments in the state.

The group further submitted that the allegedly embezzled N20 billion is part of aggregate Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds which accrued to the 23 Local Government Councils in Benue State between June to November, 2023.

News

U.S-Nigerian Delegations Launch New Commercial Partnership Framework

Published

10 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

Senior officials from the governments of the United States and Nigeria, along with key business leaders from both countries, gathered in Abuja to mark the official launch of working group sessions under a new commercial and investment initiative. The gathering signals a renewed push to strengthen economic ties and foster cross-border collaboration in sectors critical to both nations.

The effort, operating under the United States–Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership (CIP), stems from a five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2024 by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Nigeria’s former Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment. Designed to boost cooperation in trade and investment, the CIP seeks to create long-term economic benefits on both sides of the Atlantic.

The event featured remarks from Ambassador Richard Mills, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria; Julie LeBlanc of the U.S. Department of Commerce; Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and Ambassador Nura Rimi, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s trade ministry. Together, they emphasised the importance of ongoing dialogue and cooperation to drive mutual prosperity.

Ambassador Mills noted that the initiative ranks among the top priorities during his tenure, and said its launch “demonstrates our commitment to building a stronger, more dynamic economic relationship with Nigeria.”

Discussions centered around three core areas: agriculture, digital innovation, and infrastructure. Working groups made up of private-sector representatives from both countries have begun mapping out action plans, identifying regulatory obstacles, and selecting leadership for ongoing engagement.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Middle East and Africa, Thomas Bruns, highlighted the strategic intent behind the partnership.

He said, “By aligning on key sectors, we’re not just exchanging ideas, we’re setting the stage for practical, lasting outcomes that support job growth and innovation.”

The two nations agreed to review progress twice a year and to continue exploring new areas for collaboration. The next formal CIP meeting is scheduled for the fall of 2025.

News

Civil Service Week: Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation Strengthens Public Sector Reform Efforts

Published

27 minutes ago

June 24, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has reinforced its commitment to public sector transformation in Nigeria by serving as the Diamond Partner at the inaugural International Civil Service Conference (ICSC), which will be held in Abuja from June 25 to 26, 2025.

The Foundation’s involvement in the conference underscores its ongoing partnership with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), a relationship rooted in years of collaboration aimed at modernising Nigeria’s civil service. Key initiatives from the partnership include the co-development of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP25), digital reform programmes, and large-scale civil servant training initiatives.

Executive Vice Chair of the Foundation, Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, said: “Our partnership reflects a shared vision of building a world-class civil service capable of delivering transformative iimpact.

“We believe in the role of a strong public sector in shaping Africa’s future, and we remain committed to nurturing leadership and innovation within Nigeria’s civil service”.

One of the highlights of the Civil Service Week celebrations is the expansion of the Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Endowment Fund, which recognises excellence in public service.

This year’s edition introduces two new award categories: the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award with a ₦500,000 cash prize and the EPIC Award from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, offering ₦250,000. Since its inception, the Fund has distributed over ₦50 million in prizes to 111 outstanding civil servants.

In addition to recognition initiatives, the Foundation has played a central role in supporting the digitalisation of the OHCSF, a project that has sparked similar reforms across various ministries and agencies. Through signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), the Foundation is working with other public sector institutions to extend these reforms and foster a digitally empowered civil service.

The upcoming conference will bring together public sector leaders from across Africa to exchange ideas, share reform strategies, and explore opportunities for cross-border collaboration.

The event is seen as a milestone in Nigeria’s civil service reform agenda and a step toward positioning the country as a regional leader in governance innovation.

News

“I am not happy Iran, Israel violated ceasefire deal -Trump declares

Published

6 hours ago

June 24, 2025

ADMIN

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was holding, shortly after he lashed out at both countries and cursed as he accused them of violating the truce.

In a fast-moving series of declarations, the 79-year-old Republican, who was on his way to attend a NATO summit in The Hague, posted on his Truth Social app that “the Ceasefire is in effect!”

“ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt,” Trump wrote.

Minutes earlier, he had castigated Iran and also close US ally Israel for violating a ceasefire he had originally announced late Monday.

The two countries have been “fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing, do you understand that?” the president told reporters at the White House.

Iran violated the ceasefire, “but Israel violated it too,” Trump told reporters on the White House’s South Lawn as he departed for the NATO summit.

“So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either. But I’m really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning.”

“I’ve got to get Israel to calm down,” he said. “Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and dropped a load of bombs the likes of which I’ve never seen before.”

Trump’s unusually public display of anger at Israel saw the US leader apparently trying to cajole his ally to call off warplanes in real time.

A man looks at items found in the rubble of a destroyed home in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Tamra, on June 24, 2025, days after an Iranian ballistic missile slammed into the neighbourhood. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

Earlier the same morning, he had posted on Truth Social: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS” — without it being clear which bombs he was referring to.

“IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”

If it holds, the truce would be a big political win for Trump in the wake of his risky decision to send US bombers over the weekend to attack three nuclear facilities in Iran that Israel and the United States say were being used to build an atomic bomb in secret.

The US leader had said the truce would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations first. He said Israel would follow suit 12 hours later.

Israel has been bombing Iran in an offensive that began June 13. The United States joined the attack with a mission starting overnight Friday to Saturday against the deeply buried Fordow complex and two other sites.

cease-fire-iran-israel

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump insisted that the US bombing mission was a success.

“I think it’s been completely demolished,” he said, savaging US journalists for “fake news” and calling two networks “scum” for reporting that it remains unclear whether the Iranian nuclear infrastructure was truly dismantled.

“IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!” he posted separately on Truth Social.