Member petition EFCC
By our correspondent
There was palpable tension Wednesday, following a strong worded complaint letter filed before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the Secretary of Nigerian Union of journalists (NUj), Kaduna State Council, Comrade Gambo Santos, over withdrawal of N3 million from the union’s account with Keystone Bank in Kaduna.
Comrade Santos had filed a letter of petition earlier in October 2024 before Kaduna office of the Anti-graft agency, alleging that N3 million was withdrawn from the State Union’s corporate account, which he’s a signatory, without his consent by a yet to be identified person.
The Secretary said he received information that N3 million alert was received by the treasurer, Mr. Nicholas Dekera, through the council, some weeks after the 2024 NUJ state council’s press week program of activities, but only to discovered that the monies was withdrawn from same account without his knowledge by the sender.
The council Chairman Comrade Asmau Halilu and the Treasurer Nicholas Dekera who allegedly had prior knowledge of the transactions are also signatories to the Union account but denied knowledge of the sender and withdrawal of the N3 million from the Union account.
Narrating the story at the monthly Congress of the Union Wednesday 16th October 2024, the council chairman confirmed that the bank alert of N3 million was received by the council Treasurer who later informed her as the council chairman of the withdrawal.
Responding, the Council Secretary Comrade Santos said he was only informed when the monies have been withdrawn by the sender, which prompted his visit to the bank where he also confirmed the incident.
The council Secretary said the chairman, Haj. Asmau Hulilu told them that the N3 million was sent to the union’s account by unknown person and later withdrawn from the same NUJ account by the sender through a court order yet to be made available.
The secretary who earlier alleged threat to his life by the council chairman, also raised alarm of padding of N5 million realized from press week program, and how the council chairman allegedly jack up the money she loaned the press week committee, so as to collect more.
The chairman however told the Congress that, the treasurer’s phone crashed and as a result could no longer find any trace of the credit alert received at the time EFCC invited him to appear for interrogation and present the alert, based on the petition written by the council secretary to the agency.
Briefing members Wednesday, the council chairman further explained that EFCC told them that, after thorough investigation, the commission was unable to find neither credit nor debit alerts in the union’s bulky financial statements obtained from a Keystone bank account.
Earlier, the chairman swore by the Holy Quar’an that she is innocent of the incident and vowed that any member of the exco including herself found culpable or complicit should be severely punished accordingly.
She however told the Congress that a committee has been set up by the Secretaries and Chairmen of chapel of the state council (SEC), to investigate the allegations, and the investigation already approved by the Union’s national President Comrade Chris Isiguzo.
She however lamented in her speech at Congress, that the incident has fueled suspicions of alleged financial misappropriation and rumours of fraud allegations against her person, adding “Some even say I’m building a house”.
The Secretary however dismissed the chairman’s earlier claims of alleged non reflection of credit alert on statement of account, and argued that if that was true, on what account statement do the sender relied to obtained court order to withdraw or reversed the money?
Incidentally, rowdy session ensued when the state council chairman, refused to allow contributions from members after narrating her story, on ground that NUJ President comrade Chris Isiguzo has approved investigation, so as to avoid heating up the matter already before EFCC.
Objections, point of orders and, information’s raised by members were ignored with exception of few favourite of the council exco.
However, on ground that one cannot be a judge over his case, a motion moved to invalidate the committee set up by some of the accused was not taken by the chairman.
The motion dealt a big blow, as the exco members fled the venue when Idibia Gabriel, a member who moved the motion was on his feet to also declare the committee, set up by SEC, null and void, on ground that Congress is the highest decision making organ of the Union in the state.
Accordingly, the motion was jettison which led to abrupt closure of Congress informally without closing remarks or prayers as the usual practice, as exco members left the conference hall speedily.
Contacted, the NUJ national president Comrade Chris Isiguzo could not respond as at press time.
Also contacted, the Head Public Affairs, Kaduna Zonal office of the EFCC, Zainab Ahmed who confirmed the petition told our correspondent that she was not in pocession of the letter, and that she also travelled to where she lost an aunty.
“Afternoon, “Wallahi” I don’t have it.
Sorry I am not in office, lost my aunty(my father’s elder sister)”, the EFCC official Haj. Zainab stated in respond for the demand for the petition letter in their custody.
Also contacted, a Keystone bank official Mr. Emmanuel Ogunye said even though they don’t entertain investigation through customer care unit, there is no way transfer could be made without the knowledge of the account holders.
“Even though we don’t take investigation in customer care unit, but there’s no way transfer can be done without the knowledge of the account holder or holders sir. Is the customers that will do the transfer transaction”, he said.
While Mr. Ogunye demanded for the union’s account number, he said the only condition when alert will not be reflected on statement of account is when transaction was not successful at all.
