July 7, 2007
Words are going round that a purported not-for-profit, Nigerians in Diaspora Organization; NIDO is a smoke screen by highly placed Nigerians and a handful of Nigerians based in Canada and the United States to perpetrate fraud. And officials of NIDO are not doing anything to dispel the doubts about the veracity of the organizations operations. The organization is currently enmeshed in a 64 hecter land deal controversy said to be worth several Billions of Naira in Pyakasa, Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital.
Pyakasa, a suburb of the Nigeria’s Federal capital territory became an historic village after President Bill Clinton of the United States had a stop over there in August 2000.
NIDO’s officials are also alleged to have flagrantly abused donations coming to the organization. Specifically, twelve Virgin Nigeria’s air ticket meant for the youth wing of the organization for last years Diaspora’s conference in Abuja was racketeered.
Going by investigation NIDO may have benefited in land deal worth close to a Billion Naira courtesy of former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. The chairman of NIDO, Dr. Ola Kassim, a Nigerian resident in Canada has denied the allegations.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that although NIDO is incorporated as a non-governmental corporation, it is run as a personal thrust of Dr. Kassim, his family members and some close allies. NIDO is registered in Washington DC as a non-for-profit, non-governmental organization yet it operates from the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC as an exclusive concern of Dr. Kassim’s inner circle yet funded entirely by Nigeria’s tax payers.
According to sources, Dr. Kassim entered into negotiation with the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA through an arrangement brokered by the then FCT Minister, Mallam El-Rufai. It was said that he requested for land allocation on behalf of Millions of Nigerians in Diaspora. But in truth 99.9 percent of Nigerians living abroad going by an opinion poll ran by pointblanknews.com earlier in the week have neither heard of NIDO or aware of its operation yet on behalf the unsuspecting Nigerians, a large estate of land was allocated to NIDO at Pyakasa Village rechristened Diaspora Village in Abuja. Also central to the flawed land allocation process at FCDA is one Dr. Ismailah Iro of Abuja Geographical Information System, AGIS.
After the deal was sealed the inner caucus of NIDO sat to share the booty without recourse to or consultation with the millions of Nigerians in Diaspora whom they claim to be representing. NIDO formed a conclave of questionable “fellows” chief amongst the beneficiaries was said to be one London based self-styled Asiwaju, 21 year old Dayo Israel designated by the group as its coordinator for Youths in Diaspora: Ola Kassim, Jerome Akindolire; Gladys Atawo, Samuel Modupe Olupona, Sunday Oladele Olatunji, Sikiru Ayoola Lawal, Yemi Oke, Temidayo Babajide Onabolu, Adeyinka Olanrewaju Oyenubi, Michael Adewole Daramola and Emmanuel Akinwumi, all based in Toronto Canada.
The Abuja land is said to be part of incentives given as incentives to encourage Nigerians living abroad to come and assist in the development of the nation. It was also gathered that if the land had been dispensed with fairness then thousands of Nigerians, especially those who live overseas, would have been able to gain access to land in Abuja at affordable prices. Abuja lands are priced beyond the reach the average Nigerian.
Unfortunately, those who benefited from the NIDO arrangement were said to be members of Dr. Kassim’s immediate family and close friends with the intention of becoming land speculators in Abuja.
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It is further alleged that there is another hidden list of names of Nigerians living abroad, especially in the United States that was used to secure lands that are now being resold exorbitantly. It is said that the Nigerians whose names appear on this secret list actually exist and live in the U.S but they are not aware that their names were used in the said deal. Our Editors made frantic efforts to get the list from NIDO officials during the week but they did not get the cooperation of the organizations officials. The office manager of NIDO, Ms. Stella Onuoha’s reaction was typical “Oga Nigeria is your country; if you like you can go ahead and paint it black.” But Pointblanknews.com was not out to denigrate Nigeria. The intention was to make public officials accountable so that the democracy in the nation would be strengthened.
However, NIDO’s chairman, Dr. Kassim told pointblanknews.com that a lengthier list of land beneficiaries actually existed but that he was not obliged to disclose it in order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. He explained that 320 people applied and that 40 percent was approved “and all those who benefited are Canadian citizens.” Prodded that the fact that they are Canadian should not make them inscrutable especially knowing the law as it operates in Canada and the U.S, he said that he tried to compel Ms. Onuoha to disclose the list to the public but that she was not disposed to the idea. He said a copy of the list of the beneficiaries could be obtained from Dr. Ismaila Iro in Abuja.
Pyakasa, a suburb of the Nigeria’s Federal capital territory became an historic village after President Bill Clinton of the United States had a stop over there in August 2000.
NIDO’s officials are also alleged to have flagrantly abused donations coming to the organization. Specifically, twelve Virgin Nigeria’s air ticket meant for the youth wing of the organization for last years Diaspora’s conference in Abuja was racketeered.
Going by investigation NIDO may have benefited in land deal worth close to a Billion Naira courtesy of former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. The chairman of NIDO, Dr. Ola Kassim, a Nigerian resident in Canada has denied the allegations.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that although NIDO is incorporated as a non-governmental corporation, it is run as a personal thrust of Dr. Kassim, his family members and some close allies. NIDO is registered in Washington DC as a non-for-profit, non-governmental organization yet it operates from the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC as an exclusive concern of Dr. Kassim’s inner circle yet funded entirely by Nigeria’s tax payers.
According to sources, Dr. Kassim entered into negotiation with the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA through an arrangement brokered by the then FCT Minister, Mallam El-Rufai. It was said that he requested for land allocation on behalf of Millions of Nigerians in Diaspora. But in truth 99.9 percent of Nigerians living abroad going by an opinion poll ran by pointblanknews.com earlier in the week have neither heard of NIDO or aware of its operation yet on behalf the unsuspecting Nigerians, a large estate of land was allocated to NIDO at Pyakasa Village rechristened Diaspora Village in Abuja. Also central to the flawed land allocation process at FCDA is one Dr. Ismailah Iro of Abuja Geographical Information System, AGIS.
After the deal was sealed the inner caucus of NIDO sat to share the booty without recourse to or consultation with the millions of Nigerians in Diaspora whom they claim to be representing. NIDO formed a conclave of questionable “fellows” chief amongst the beneficiaries was said to be one London based self-styled Asiwaju, 21 year old Dayo Israel designated by the group as its coordinator for Youths in Diaspora: Ola Kassim, Jerome Akindolire; Gladys Atawo, Samuel Modupe Olupona, Sunday Oladele Olatunji, Sikiru Ayoola Lawal, Yemi Oke, Temidayo Babajide Onabolu, Adeyinka Olanrewaju Oyenubi, Michael Adewole Daramola and Emmanuel Akinwumi, all based in Toronto Canada.
The Abuja land is said to be part of incentives given as incentives to encourage Nigerians living abroad to come and assist in the development of the nation. It was also gathered that if the land had been dispensed with fairness then thousands of Nigerians, especially those who live overseas, would have been able to gain access to land in Abuja at affordable prices. Abuja lands are priced beyond the reach the average Nigerian.
Unfortunately, those who benefited from the NIDO arrangement were said to be members of Dr. Kassim’s immediate family and close friends with the intention of becoming land speculators in Abuja.
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It is further alleged that there is another hidden list of names of Nigerians living abroad, especially in the United States that was used to secure lands that are now being resold exorbitantly. It is said that the Nigerians whose names appear on this secret list actually exist and live in the U.S but they are not aware that their names were used in the said deal. Our Editors made frantic efforts to get the list from NIDO officials during the week but they did not get the cooperation of the organizations officials. The office manager of NIDO, Ms. Stella Onuoha’s reaction was typical “Oga Nigeria is your country; if you like you can go ahead and paint it black.” But Pointblanknews.com was not out to denigrate Nigeria. The intention was to make public officials accountable so that the democracy in the nation would be strengthened.
However, NIDO’s chairman, Dr. Kassim told pointblanknews.com that a lengthier list of land beneficiaries actually existed but that he was not obliged to disclose it in order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. He explained that 320 people applied and that 40 percent was approved “and all those who benefited are Canadian citizens.” Prodded that the fact that they are Canadian should not make them inscrutable especially knowing the law as it operates in Canada and the U.S, he said that he tried to compel Ms. Onuoha to disclose the list to the public but that she was not disposed to the idea. He said a copy of the list of the beneficiaries could be obtained from Dr. Ismaila Iro in Abuja.
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