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*Contract papers fake, forgery– MD NPA
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
As the controversy surrounding the N57 billion Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) contract scandal escalates, the contractor, Mr. Emmanuel Otokpa, in fresh allegations, has claimed that he was defrauded by the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami and the ex- Managing Director (MD), of the NPA, Muhammad Bello Koko.
Mr. Otokpa who made the revelations at a media conference and in a chat with our reporter said he was given photocopy of the N57 billion contract award letters and letter specifying the sharing formula from NPA by Abubakar Malami’s PA Hon. Yakubu Hamza through the backdoor.
He explained that Malami’s PA collected the Award letters on 27th February 2023 and handed over only the photocopy to him on 29th February, 2023, two days after, and told him that Abubakar Malami and his Special Adviser (SA) Nafiu Yakubu Lugga will officially handover the original award letters to him so that he (Otokpa) can pay them (PA/SA) their five percent, which they have agreed upon from the beginning.
However, Mr Otokpa lamented that hitherto, the original copy of the Award letters collected from NPA developed winds and has not be presented to him by Malami as promised and pledged.
“In the Award letters it was stated that my companies will be mobilize for 85 percent. Up till now the original award letters has not been giving to me as well as the 85 percent mobilization”, Mr. Otokpa stated.
According to him, the NPA MD, Mohammad …Bello Koko, in collaboration with AGF office moved the contract sum from NPA account to an undisclosed account towards the end of Buhari administration’s handover in 2023, despite a circular prohibiting such transactions.
Otokpa revealed that Barrister Nafiu Yakubu Lugga, the SA to the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, earlier informed him that the N57 billion had already been moved to NPA account, when he raised concern after viewing the government directive on television.
Speaking at a media conference, Otokpa stated that the contract, was diverted and the funds allegedly siphoned, preventing the projects execution in Kebbi, Kaduna, and other places till date..
According to a statement shared with journalists, Otokpa had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which launched an investigation. “I and my lawyers, Bolarewa Aidi (SAN), and others were invited to EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where officials verified the authenticity of the documents, including Malami’s signature”.
“The EFCC Chairman received my petition, and after investigations, they advised that the matter be resolved in-house, possibly to avoid further embarrassment to personalities involved,” he noted.
He further alleged that the current NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, reached out to him through Hon. Yakubu Hamza, the former Personal Assistant (PA) to Malami, appealing to him to accept offering him a downward review of the contract sum to N25 billion instead of the original N57 billion.
“I accepted the settlement terms, and I was asked to send money for the preparation of the Bill of quantity and costing, which I did. Later, I was told that due to inflation, the total contract sum has been adjusted upward to N30 billion,” Otokpa stated.
However, despite sending additional funds for the collection of Award letters, Otokpa alleged that he had only received “endless promises” while the ex-PA, Hon. Hamza Yakubu, who was to collect the award suddenly stopped responding to his calls and messages.
“Instead, Hamza sent messages to a Deputy Director, alleging that the NPA had an arrangement with him and that if I wasn’t careful, I would lose the N30 billion reviewed contracts. This suggests that the NPA under Dansoho had planned to divert the reviewed contracts again,” he lamented.
Otokpa expressed dismay that “If it’s in advance world, the government security agent will invite all of them for questioning. I, Mr Emmanuel Otokpa, the contractor is asking whether this government is keeping some people from probing the billions they stole from government account which is meant for development of this country?”.
Mr. Emmanuel Otokpa had in June 2023, written a strong worded petition against Malami and Ex-MD NPA Mr Koko, alleging diversion of the same contract, but was refuted by then MD, who described the allegations as fake and forged.
The petition signed by Barristers E.O Abadaki and O.G Balogun and Co, of no. 18 Gwagwalada /Dukpq road Abuja, FCT, for their clients, stated that the N57 billion contract was fraudulently awarded by NPA to various contractors and companies who innocently but genuinely bided for the contracts.
Accordingly, it stated that the office of the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and that of Managing Director (MD) Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), have been accused of multi-billion naira contracts scandal amounting to N57 billions.
The petition letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu through the Chief of Staff office and made available to our correspondent, dated 13th June 2023, alleged that the AGF office fraudulently diverted the contracts sum totaling N57 billion.
Titled “Fraudulent diversion of contracts by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, ranging to the sum of N57 billion fraudulently awarded by the NPA to various companies who innocently but genuinely bided for the contracts, the solicitors noted that 15 clients’ companies bided for contracts”.
It reads in parts: “We act as Solicitors to Mr. Emmanuel Otokpa, acting for himself and on behalf of the companies/contractors (hereinafter referred to as our clients) on whose instruction we write this petition and or complaints against the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),” the solicitors stated.
“With all sense of responsibility, we have our clients’ authority and mandate to state in this Petition that sometimes in June 2022, the NPA made a publication for qualified companies to bid or submit tender for award of contracts ranging from general supplies, contracts, procurements and furnishing among others.
“The Office of the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice contacted our clients to mobilize companies to apply/bid for the award of contracts from the NPA, and pursuant to the foregoing, our clients/companies accordingly indicated interest and mobilized their companies to bid for the contracts.
“By a letter dated July 19, 2022, the AGF personally recommended our clients’ companies to the management of the NPA for consideration and award of the contracts.
“And by the NPA’s response letter to the AGF dated December 22, 2022, the first batch of contracts in the sum of N30 billion (Thirty Billion Naira) was awarded by the NPA to fifteen (15) of our clients’ companies.
“The AGF letter of recommendation dated July 19th, 2022, and the NPA response letter of notification of contract award dated December 22, 2022, are hereby attached for your perusal and necessary actions”, the petition stated.
Accordingly, the petition also added that “It is pertinent to state that: The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the management of the NPA merely used our clients’ companies to siphon the mobilization of 85% of the total contract sum.
“That the office of the AGF and NPA conspired and diverted all the contracts awarded to our clients’ companies to themselves, hence the office of the AGF collected the award letters in the name of our clients’ companies directly from the NPA since February 27, 2023, but failed to release same to our clients’ companies.
“This is a clear indication that they have diverted the contracts and siphoned the 85% mobilization fee of the contract sum.
“In the light of the above, our clients’ companies’ instruction, therefore, is to bring the above information to your knowledge and to further keep you informed that the office of the AGF and NPA fraudulently used their companies to divert or siphon the whopping sum contracts sum in the time of N57 billion from NPA coffers.
“Take further notice that our Clients’ companies were never involved in the fraudulent contract dealings embarked upon by the office of the AGF and the management of the NPA, relating to the above-mentioned contracts.
“In the circumstance, our Clients’ companies hereby solicit for the proper award of the contracts to them for execution having incurred expenses for the tendering and bidding for the said contracts which were officially awarded to them by NPA, but fraudulently diverted.
” It’s our fervent hope that the necessary investigation will be carried out by your office in due course”, it stated.
Contacted for clarification, the MD of NPA, Muhammad Bello Koko, however, dismissed the allegations, adding that the said contracts and letters of award of the contracts “are all fake” and forgeries, and does not exist.
The MD who refused to pick his earlier calls for attending public function later responded through WhatsApp chat with promised to call back later but never did.
He also stated in the same chat that his media staff will call and respond to the allegations raised but the said media staff who spoke pleaded not to be quoted on ground that his just media friend and not media staff as claimed.
His words: I will call you. I am in a public programme. No, I am not aware (of the petition). We will provide answers if we know the issues. I will call you. And my media staff will call you also. You can ask him to respond, and he will.
What did he say “(Asking for the response of the media staff)”?
“I will give you our staff whom it will be credited to. Those contracts and letters of award of the contracts are fake and do not exist. They are forgeries,” MD stated.
All efforts to speak to Malami personally or through two of his aides, when contracted, also proved abortive as the aides refused to speak or provide Malami’s direct contact number. In fact, the aides denied knowing the connection with him when they eventually picked up the call reluctantly with expression of aggression.
Some of the victims’ contracting firms are: Netword Nigeria Limited, Fazone International Limited, Nimco Construction Company Limited, Gomek International Service Limited, Moonlink Investment Company Limited, Rotiphleck Nigeria Limited, Planiampianti Engineering and Construction Limited, Alina Design and Build Consulted Nigeria Limited, and Westfield Consulting respectively.
Findings revealed that the contract was awarded to Malami while in office, under Buhari regime, and the award letter was originally issued in his name but was reportedly sublet it to Mr Otokpa, and companies through Malami’s ex- PA and SA respectfully.
