Nabbed lobbying for reappointment
'Bolts away 32 official vehicles'
No comment – DSS


Almost a year after he was sacked as the Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Aliyu Abdlhameed, has been arrested, Daily Trust can exclusively report.

NIRSAL, a $500m non-bank financial institution, is a creation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandated to manage agribusiness-related credit risks in Nigeria.

Abdulhameed was kicked out of office following allegations of corruption, including a 2018 N5.6 billion wheat project meant for farmers in Kano and Jigawa States.

His sack was endorsed by the Board of the CBN following approval from the Presidency in December last year.

Daily Trust had, in January last year, carried out an investigation into how a multi-billion-naira loan guaranteed by NIRSAL for three investor companies for the cultivation of 20,000 hectares of dry season wheat in Kano and Jigawa States was allegedly diverted by the companies in connivance with NIRSAL officials.

In the course of the investigation, Daily Trust visited the affected communities in the two states states where farmers said they were deceived. Community leaders there said they were told the project was aimed at changing the lives of 20,000 smallholder farmers. They said after making farms available, affected farmers were promised fertiliser and other inputs for the wheat plantation, but never saw any of these thereafter.

Both Abdulhameed and the three investor companies had denied wrongdoing.

However, when the Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu and his support team to probe the activities of the apex bank and related entities swung into action in September this year, there was panic and apprehension within the top hierarchy of the CBN and the NIRSAL. The Special Investigator, Jim Obazee and his team, led by DCP Eloho, was said to have beamed searchlight on the NIRSAL and the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme which have, over the years, been at the centre of investigations.



How Abdulhameed was arrested


Multiple sources within and outside the NIRSAL revealed to Daily Trust that the arrest of the ex-NIRSAL boss came after five months of a manhunt by a joint team of the Department State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and the Special Investigator.

A source privy to Abdulhameed’s arrest told Daily Trust that he was apprehended last week on the premises of a federal government’s revenue-generating agency in Abuja where he had gone to lobby for a reappointment.


"After turning down several invitations, the joint team eventually got hold of him on the premises of a popular government’s parastatal in Abuja where he was said to have gone to lobby either to return as NIRSAL MD or as the head of the Nigeria Agriculture Development Fund," said the source who sought for identity protection due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

Daily Trust’s findings indicate that the embattled ex-NIRSAL boss, who is said to be in the custody of the DSS, is being quizzed on multiple allegations of corruption during his tenure.

A source at the NIRSAL confided in Daily Trust that the investigators were also seeking answers based on findings contained in an investigation earlier conducted by a team from the CBN following a petition against the NIRSAL on alleged fraud, money laundering and criminal conspiracy.


It was gathered that following the investigation, the Banking Supervision Department of the CBN wrote to the ex-NIRSAL boss seeking explanation to "observed breaches of internal policies and procedures of the organisation, relevant regulations and laws, especially the Public Procurement Act 2007."

Findings by Daily Trust indicate that a query on the breaches was conveyed in a letter referenced: BSD/SPG/CON/NIR/13/083 titled: 'On a spot check on the operation of NIRSAL conducted between August 27, 2020 and September 11, 2020.'

In the document exclusively obtained by Daily Trust, the CBN had, in its interim report, drawn attention to questionable spendings and procurement violations, and requested the ousted NIRSAL boss to forward his reply within three days.

How ex-NISRAL MD bolted away 32 official vehicles

Sources also revealed that 32 official vehicles were discovered to have been diverted to personal use by the former NIRSAL MD during his tenure.

A staff member of the NIRSAL familiar with the development disclosed that only two of the vehicles had been retrieved by security operatives and returned to the organisation following his arrest. He said it was discovered that 21 of the diverted vehicles were purchased with official funds as auction in the name of some staff of the NIRSAL without their knowledge, but were converted personal use by the former MD.

He was also said to have made away with nine exotic vehicles, including two bullet proof jeeps, and household items at four official guest houses belonging to the NIRSAL in Lagos, Abuja and Yola.

Attempts by Daily Trust to reach out to the former NIRSAL MD for his reaction were unsuccessful as his mobile telephone line was switched off. Contacted, the spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya simply said: "No comment”m".

On his part, Muyiwa Adejobi, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, neither answered several phone calls nor replied to a text message sent to him on the matter.

KEVIND:
The way core Northerners steal, hmmm, even devil dey fear that kind looting. ( They loot in trillions).
The worst part is that all they do with the money is to buy houses in Abuja,Niger & Dubai or build filling stations & marry plenty wives with latest exotic cars cruising the street of Abuja.

emkz:


https://dailytrust.com/n5-6bn-wheat-project-scam-ex-nirsal-boss-arrested-11-months-after-sacking/

Abufo:



The day Nigerians realise that Nigeria na scam.......that day they will storm the streets in protest for Nnamd Kanu's release! The thief is going to use at least 50% of what he stole to lobby himself out of detention.......and mumu Nigerians will carry on like nothing happened! I have never seen any people like Nigerians..........is it naivety or just plain foolisheness or both....which is worrying you people?

emkz:
It is the audacity for me!

He went to lobby for appointment when the current case has not been settled. Same guy evaded arrest until his thirt for power did him in.

These people should fear the day of judgement where they'd be stripped of all power, all money and all sycophants.

Bigkoko:
They are never satisfied. Once you helps your self to easy money from the govt, even if they give you CBN to use as you like, you will never be satisfied. If i lie ask Emilokan...... That is how they will keep on looking for where to loot till they die. The curse of the Evil One is upon them.

Tell me what a normal human being would be doing with such a heist? And still have the audacity to want to come back? Well, they are simply following the steps of the drug peddler & certificate forger.

32 vehicles. Well i know the media & anti corruption agents lies too much, nut let's assume its just 10 vehicles, which he didnt buy with his own money or sweat!

Go and check how the Zambian president runs his govt. Himself dont loot or buy luxuries with govt money, so who born you well to loot or buy luxuries with govt funds.

Bigkoko:
There are three trouble makers in Nigeria ~ Yoruba, Hausa-fulani & Igbos. These are facts and i dont want to emphasize more.
For Nigeria to move forward, one of these major tribes must be forced to leave the Nigerian Federation. I am sure Only the Yorubans is scared stiff of ever leaving the Nigerian Federation, and a curious person would want to ask why? Its not working for the common yoruban person oon the street except for sophisticated agberos like Oluomo and well entrenched crooks like Asiwaju.

The Igbos have applied to remove themselves from the Union of misfits on multiple fronts, using peaceful & violent tactics too. The others simply refused. So now, it's either the rest of the Country forcefully make one of the other two to leave or continue to suffer.. The best would be forcing the Yorubans to have their own Country, and its spiritually, socially, economically & politically IMPOSSIBLE for them to form an alliance with the IGBOS.

Nigerians should come together and force either the iGBOS OR YORUBANS to leave the Nigerian Federation, i tell you, Nigeria will start experiencing PEACE & DEVELOPMENT unseen for the past 40 years! Oya maggots food don land!

VeeVeeMyLuv:

About the 32 cars, walahi they did not lie

He used the names of managers heading some of the various states without their knowledge/consent to auction the cars (in tear rubber conditions) to himself.

Talk about unlimited greed

Bigkoko:
Recently i was in a meeting where the President of Zambia came to beg small small investors like Bigkoko to come invest in Lusaka. Someone asked him how he intends to make sure bureacracy and corruption dont affect small companies.

He shared some insight about how he fights corruption, using the corrupt actions of the Major of Lusaka.
Oga mayor bought a luxurious car. Or some overzealous staff used the govt funds to buy it for the office of the mayor. When he found out, see what he did.

"The Toyota is good, and the mayor certainly deserve such car. But the mayor should buy it with his salary and bonus earned from his job as mayor or from his private endeavors. The money for that car is enough to build 200 public toilets in the market in Lusaka. He immediately ordered the council to issue 200 contracts for public toilets and use the money for the toyota car to pay the contractors. and the toilets should be ready for commissioning within six month. Full Stop. He ordered the Luxurious car to be sold back to the vendor who supplied it. If the mayor does not like the car the govt provides he can buy his own or he can resign so another person who use it can come in.

Can we say the same of egbon Emilokan?