According to the petition, the cabal within the NIGCOMSAT had on several occasions bribed government officials and withheld vital evidence to ensure the cover-up of the massive theft of government funds and assets.
A petition has been written against the Managing Director of Nigerian Communication Satellite, Abimbola Alale, revealing a series of financial misappropriation going in the agency.
The petition also accused Alale of wrong declaration of assets and overseeing contract scam up to the tune of N8bn.
The petitioners accused the NIGCOMSAT MD of running a cabal comprising Head of Procurement, Idris Garba; Head DTH/Head Public Affairs, Adamu Idris; Legal Adviser, Alma Udoyen; Senior Manager, Legal, Kingsley Udevbure; and General Manager HCD, Rekiya Sulaiman; who perpetrate the gross financial misconduct.
According to the petition, the cabal within the NIGCOMSAT had on several occasions bribed government officials and withheld vital evidence to ensure the cover-up of the massive theft of government funds and assets.
The petition reads, “The extent of the fraud has made it impossible for the company to meet its commercial objectives thereby making it pertinent for the conduct of a forensic audit of the company and an investigation into the bank accounts and assets of these individuals.”
Accusing the NIGCOMSAT MD of contract scam, the petitioner said Alele had always handled insurance matters directly contrary to government policy on procurement, which requires that all procurement including insurance should be handled by the procurement unit.
“Between September and December 2011, NIGCOMSAT Management (Engr. Ahmed Rufai, Abimbola Alale, Alma Okpalefe nee Udoyen) paid the sum of N5,893,920,000 as an insurance premium for the launch of NigComSat-1R satellite to Fasaha Intercontinental Insurance Brokers Ltd with an office at Block C3 Amsalco Plaza, No 100 Zoo Road Kano. This is a Non-Consultant Service contract, and the approving authority for this contract is Federal Executive Council (FEC) but there was NO FEC Approval and BPP did not issue Certificate of No Objection for the contract award.
“In 2011, as the Project Director for NIGCOMSAT 1R, Abimbola Alale facilitated the payment of a total of N3,082,742,400 to the existent/fictitious insurance policies.”
The petitioner also alleged a fraudulent renewal of the In-Orbit Insurance Policy, saying the sum of N1,475, 680,000 was paid for NIGCOMSAT 1R Launch Insurance while the sum of N1,335,497,600 was paid for NIGCOMSAT 1R In-Orbit Insurance valid for two years from 2011 to 2013.
It was also stated that contrary to government policy on procurement, the NIGCOMSAT MD aided by the Legal Adviser and Senior Manager, Legal, ensured that insurance procurement and ancillary matters were domiciled within the MD’s office and handled directly between them.
It was also alleged that there was a breach of financial regulations and conflict of interest in the implementation of the National Public Security Communication Network/Police Network/CCTV Project.
“The contract, which was a supply of goods contract was above the threshold of the in-house Managemen1881t Tender Board Meeting as stated in the BPP guidelines. The approving authority for this contract should be the Federal Executive Council while the BPP will issue no objection certificate but Ahmed Rufai and Abimbola Alale circumvented the Financial Authority limits guidelines by splitting the contract and awarding it to 13 different contractors mostly their proxies.
“Without due process, she signed off the company’s DTH facility to NIGUS International Investment Ltd, after she acquired shares in NIGUS through her proxies; a company owned by the DTH head, Adamu Idris’s father-in-law,” the petition added.
“Abimbola Alale acting in collusion with ten members of her syndicate including Isaac Olaseinde, Funke Fagbeja, Ronke Lanade, Babalola Kayode stole over N237million comprising N100million loan from Heritage Bank and N137million from the Company’s revenue account thereby preventing the Company from fulfilling its obligation to remit accrued revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in violation of section 22 (1) and (2) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act No. 31, 2007.
“The MD Abimbola Alale and her cohorts including Alma Udoyen, Kingsley Udevbure, Rekiya Sulaiman have falsely under-declared their assets intending to detract and deceive the government. Abimbola Alale has several juicy properties located in Apo, Sunny Vale, Gudu and Maitama while Alma Udoyen has properties in Gwarinpa and Karu and Kingsley Udevbure, a senior manager in addition to his properties including a mini estate in Bwari and Lugbe is currently building a block of flats in Kubwa,” the petition also revealed.