By Umar Ibrahim
Fresh facts emerging from intensive investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reveal the elaborate mechanisms through which Senator Adamu Aliero, former two-term governor of Kebbi State is looting humongous amounts from the Federal Government of Nigeria.
One of Aliero’s key fronts is Alhaji Kabiru Kamba from Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, the proprietor of KK Kamba & Sons Nigeria Limited and K.M. Kamba Ventures Nigeria Limited.
These two companies have been awarded billions of Naira worth of contracts by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH) and the Police Trust Fund (PTF) respectively over the past years with none executed even though fully paid for.
The ‘juicy’ jobs include the procurement of operational solar energy equipment to service several communities in some states of the country, the Federal Government’s Mass Housing Scheme and the construction of police barracks in disparate locations in the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Investigations revealed that not only were the contracts not executed but they were re-awarded and paid for with the active collaboration of two ex Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Alhaji Babangida Hussaini as well as his predecessor Alhaji Bukar Alhaji.
Senator Aliero’s other proxies in these schemes are his brother, Alhaji Abba Aliero and his son, Mustapha Aliero.
Between them, they registered and run several bogus companies such as Galadi Global Resources, Net Galaxy Max, M.M. Saleh and Sons Nigeria Ltd, Waizah Global Resources Ltd and Eva Top Trading Company Ltd.
On his part, Kamba also uses a variety of other firms such as Dunkulu Global Ventures, Maidaji Global Resources, Makharaj Nigeria Ltd, Clarion Prime Associates Ltd., Wastech Engineering, GT Energy Ltd, Viaeny Global Investment Ltd, Yakubeens Nigeria Ltd and Brading Global Concept Nigeria Ltd.
Even after the EFCC initiated investigations into the dozens of non-performing contracts, only a few of the solar power projects were shoddily completed. In addition to the corruption inherent in the contract awards influenced by Senator Aliero who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, the companies completely lack the capacity and competences to carry out the works assigned.
It is believed that Senator Aliero successfully schemed the fraud by working with the Directors of Procurement and Finance who are both Indigenes of Kebbi State.
Indications are that these sordid revelations maybe just a tip of the iceberg and concerned citizens of our dear country Nigeria are worried that the investigations into the shenanigans may be scuttled.
Already, only Kabiru Kamba is in EFCC custody while Abba and Mustapha Aliero remain at large, causing apprehension across the state and nation at large. It is widely feared that they could compromise the cases and escape justice by sharing the enormous earnings accrued from the corrupt practices.
Umar Ibrahim wrote from Bunza Local Government Area, Kebbi State.