| Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The General Manager, Operations of the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF), Hajiya Aisha Usman, has accused the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) led by Mr Okei Obono-Obla of stealing the sum of $30,000 from her Abuja residence. She specifically alleged that on June 25, 2019, four policemen attached to the SPIP under the command of DCP Babaji Sunday, allegedly stole $30,000 from her residence, under the guise of investigations of accusations that she was not yet informed. In a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Usman added that the armed cops carted away the money and jewelleries from the residence of the PEF official after she was invited to the panel’s office. She further alleged that the armed cops bundled her into their waiting vehicle, drove her to her apartment, ransacked it and took away the money without recording it. But in a swift reaction, the Chairman of the Presidential panel, Obono- Obla dismissed the allegations as cheap blackmail and diversionary tactics of a drowning woman. Obla who spoke with Daily Sun vehemently denied the allegations saying “it is a blatant lie against the panel by a corrupt civil servant. “This is pure and blatant lie. It is corruption that is fighting back. She just wants to shamelessly divert attention. It is a diversionary tactics by a corrupt woman because my operatives have refused to be compromised. “It is corruption fighting back. Ask her where she got the money from as a civil servant. Why is that huge sum of money doing in her house? If the source of the money is clean why not keep it in the bank? She should bow her head in shame because we have evidence to send her to prison. Where did she get the money from? My operatives are professionals who will never steal people’s money. Let her come out and tell Nigerians the source of the money. That place is stinking with corruption. All they do is ask petroleum marketers to pay money into their accounts. “She is saying this because our operatives have refused to be compromised. We have already arrested some of their staff who tried to bribe our operatives.”
The Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) had disclosed that it has uncovered over N3 billion in several bank accounts belonging to the General Manager, Corporate Services, Dr. Goody Nnadi, and Aisha F. Usman, the General Manager, Operations, both with the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF).
Meantime, the panel said it is investigating other management staff of the fund alleged to be involved in fraudulent activities. |
