A member of the IMC told SaharaReporters that the ‘culprits’ did not only hijack the association for years but also stole from its coffers amounts running into billions of naira using a purported consultant to illegally divert ALGON’s share of the Paris Club refund.
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria is currently enmeshed in a financial crisis as the association’s Interim Management Committee demands that past national officers must account for over N5.5bn illegally diverted from ALGON’s account.
A member of the IMC told SaharaReporters that the ‘culprits’ did not only hijack the association for years but also stole from its coffers amounts running into billions of naira using a purported consultant to illegally divert ALGON’s share of the Paris Club refund.
He said, “One Hon. Alabi Kolade David, who is not even a local government council chairman known to the 1999 constitution and a non-ALGON permanent member, Mrs Binta Adamu Bello, Barr (Mrs) Evan Enekwe, Chief Udensi Chikwe and Alhaji Gambo Tanko Kagara in conjunction with Senator Ned Uwoko, who served as consultant to ALGON on Paris club refund, are perpetrators of the heinous criminal conspiracy, diversion, embezzlement, impersonation and fraud of N5.5bn against the association.
“The looting of ALGON funds by these persons have continued unabatedly till date, they jointly embezzled funds and proceeds from so many projects/joint ventures accruable to ALGON while purportedly running the association. The stealing at ALGON has now peaked; it is also very disappointing to have such high profile corruption, under the leadership of President Buhari.”
Meanwhile, a group, Coalition Against Corruption Initiative, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-graft agencies claiming that it was “in possession of hard facts and documents” which indicated that there was alleged fraud in the association.
The group said, “We are in possession of some hard facts and documents which indicate that sometime in 2010, the President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck E. Jonathan, approved the sum of N4.5bn as waiver to ALGON for investment in the public-private partnership projects of American Hospital and American Medical Sciences. The total sum of N3.8bn was said to have been disbursed by the Central Bank of Nigeria into an illegally opened Bank PHB account number 1001173005 operated by Chief Chikwe Udensi which was unilaterally forwarded to the Accountant-General of the Federation to substitute the original ALGON account at the time.
“Subsequently, Chief Udensi criminally dissipated N2.5bn out of the said ALGON money through another Bank PHB account number-1002807679 operated by Messrs Impecca Service Ltd said to be owned by one John J. Okoro, who is the Personal Assistant for Chief Udensi at the time and that was how ALGON money was frittered away till date.
“Further to the above, the looting of ALGON funds has continued unabatedly till date by the above named persons who have continued to conspire amongst themselves to embezzle and defraud ALGON.”
DOCUMENTS: Multi-billion Naira Fraud Rocks Association of Local Governments of Nigeria as Interim Managemen... by Sahara Reporters on Scribd