“Ensure that you store away your PVCs in a safe place. Store it away from termites because termites are destructive in nature. You will need your PVC to defend yourself from termites or chase away termites from destroying your future.”
There is no single day in Nigeria that its citizens will wake up without hearing a bizarre story of alleged corruption that involves enormous amounts of money. Recently, animals have been in the news for making away large sums or eating up financial documents. This embarrassing trend is a new twist to the news story about alleged corrupt practices. The strange phenomenon of animals being scapegoats for missing funds without a trace has elicited a flurry of reactions. This article chronicles animals accused of eating up and swallowing money in Nigeria and the amount they consume.
In February 2018, a snake was accused of swallowing N36 million from the office vault of the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) Makurdi. JAMB candidates usually purchase scratch cards to access its website for either registration or checking results. In 2018, new reforms introduced by the JAMB registrar dispatched a team of auditors to different state offices of JAMB to take inventory of the sold and unsold scratch cards and recover whatever money they may have generated or mismanaged during the period of the sale.
A sales representative, Philomina Chieshe, told the JAMB team that she could not account for the N36 million she made in previous years before the elimination of scratch cards. During interrogation, Ms. Chieshe denied the allegations that she stole the money but confessed that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to spiritually steal the money from the vault in the accounting office through a snake. Speaking with CNN, the sales representative claimed the exam board invented the story about the snake. She also accused the exam board of turning her into authorities, whom she claims still have not questioned her about the missing funds. Unfortunately, we do not know how the case ended. That same year, the Northern Senators Forum removed Senator Abdullahi Adamu as chairman of the forum for alleged financial mismanagement and maladministration. Disclosing the main reason for his removal, a spoke person for the Senate alleged that monkeys carted away N70 million under Adamu's watch. That N70 million was money gathered from the 7th Senate and handed over to Northern senators of the 8th Senate. There were claims that some monkeys raided the farmhouse of some of the executives of the Northern senator's forum and carted away the money.
While snakes and monkeys go after millions, the termites in the government are on a high pedestal. On August 14, 2022, the news hit us that some termites, living ostentatious lifestyles, stormed the storeroom of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, and ate up vouchers totaling N17.128 billion. The money represents the documents of transfers from the NSITF accounts in its Skye and First Bank accounts, untraceable accounts belonging to individuals and companies from January to December 2013. The Senate Committee on Public Accounts discovered it when it interrogated the NSITF management. The Managing Director of NSITF told the committee that the vouchers and other financial documents that could help in tracking/tracking down the N17.128 billion were stored in a container that had not only been beaten by rains over the years but eaten up by termites.
Whether the stories of animals stealing money in Nigeria within the last few years are real or miscommunicated, the fact remains that animals are holding their ground in the country. From rampaging cows that have destroyed multimillion naira farms across the country to rats that damaged the office of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, forcing him to spend three months working from home. The animal tales are plentiful and hilarious. Today, it is like the trend in Nigeria is for animals to steal money from government organizations or even masticate vouchers. Apparently, these animals are swallowing millions and escaping the scene of the crime without being caught. From all indications, termites are now wealthier than other animals. We need to study the ways of termites. They are the most destructive of all insects. They are called silent destroyers. They leave tears behind them when they eat up anything. Termites, like locusts, eat all, leaving nothing tangible that can be of help. It is not a surprise that the NSITF chose the termite metaphor to explain the disappearance of vouchers for a whopping sum of N17.128 billion. That is the message from the management of NSITF to the fable-loving people that we all are.
Nigerians are worried by these stories of fraud and corruption perpetrated by the high and mighty in society.
Even more disturbing is the relative ease with which the culprits get away with these acts that, in more civilized countries, would carry a prison sentence. Sadly, these allegations of missing money and animals involved in accounting procedures propelled into the open in an administration that came into power on moral ground with a pledge to root out corruption in all ramifications.
From all indications, many will be granted bail by the court. Also, speculations are rife that a plea bargain is on the way that may give many of the accused a soft landing. Sadly, the government has never captured the JAMB snake as it disappeared with the money in question. Besides, Nigerians have since forgotten about the missing money and monkey story as the political party rewarded the culprit with a high public office. But the NSITF scam must not be allowed to be swept under the carpet because several lives are at stake. This case is the last line of defense for this administration. We, therefore, urge the Senate and the government to get to the bottom of the matter. All those who played whatever role and at whatever stage must explain themselves and the money recovered. Those who deserve jail terms for this crime must not go unpunished. Justice must prevail to assuage the hurt Nigerians feel.
Now to all Nigerians, the greatest weapon in our hands to fight termites is our PVC. Constantly, we encourage everyone to guard and protect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) wisely because it is our permanent weapon that will open the doors of our future. We urged all Nigerians to treat their PVCs as if they were part of their lives. Ensure that you store your PVCs in a safe place. Store it away from termites because termites are destructive in nature. We urged you not to give it to anybody to keep for you because it is your weapon. And do you know why we call the PVC a weapon? A weapon is something you use for self-defense. Hence, you will need your PVC to defend yourself from termites or chase away termites from destroying your future. In other words, you will use it to elect the person to represent you and not sell your children's future to oppressors masquerading as saints and saviors. So, do not throw away your PVC because every choice made during general elections will eventually define and determine your quality of life.
Rev. Ma S.J is a Jesuit Catholic priest and doctoral student in public and social policy at St. Louis University in the state of Missouri, USA.