#BudgetPadding: Police Invite Dogara

AIG Ali heads probe panel
APC meets with Speaker, Jibrin
Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has raised a five-man special
team to probe the alleged padding of the budget by House of Representatives
Speaker Yakubu Dogara and some of his principal officers.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Amodu Ali-led Special Investigative
Panel (SIP) has invited Dogara, his deputy Yusuff Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado
Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor to appear before it on Friday.
The panel yesterday had what was called “a preliminary session” with ousted House
Committee on Appropriations chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin, who accused Dogara
and others of padding the budget with N284 billion.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has met with the warring Dogara and Jibrin to
resolve their differences. Jibrin was at the party’s secretariat in Abuja where he met
with the National Working Committee (NWC) members.
Dogara was said to have earlier met with the committee. The day of the meeting
was, however, not given.
Last Monday, Jibrin petitioned the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies over the matter.
Jibrin was said to have “furnished the SIP with vital information and a heap of
documents” at their meeting yesterday.
A highly-placed police source, who spoke in confidence, said Ibrahim has directed
the SIP to conduct a “comprehensive investigation into Jibrin’s petition.”
The source said: “We have commenced full investigation into the N284billion budget
padding in the House of Representatives based on a petition from Hon. Jibrin.
”A Special Investigative Panel (SIP), with a crack detective, AIG Amodu Ali as the
chairman, is the one saddled with the responsibility of looking into the allegations in
the petition. The same Ali uncovered the lid on the $620,000 bribery scam in the
House for which a former Chairman of the House Committee on Fuel Subsidy
Management, Mallam Farouk Lawan, and the Clerk of the committee, Mr. Boniface
Emenalo were indicted. The case is in court.
“You will recall that Ali was deeply involved in the investigation of the $180million
Halliburton scam. So, the SIP is led by an officer who is tested.”
Asked of the preliminary work done by the SIP, the source added: “As I am talking
to you (4pm yesterday), a letter of invitation has been addressed and sent to the
Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Chief Whip and the Minority Leader.
“They will be interrogated by the SIP on Friday. As a prelude to the invitation of the
principal officers, the SIP chairman and members had a session with Jibrin on
Tuesday.
“It was not a grilling session. But Jibrin furnished the team with vital information and
a heap of documents to back up the petition he submitted on Monday.
“We are going into the merit or otherwise of the petition on Friday by inviting Dogara
and three others. It is going to be a gradual thing but we will crack the padding
controversy.”
Also yesterday, Jibrin confirmed that security has been beefed up around him by
the Department of State Service (DSS) and the police.
He also asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to prevail on Dogara to
reconvene the House and step aside to face prosecution for alleged budget
padding.
Jibrin, in a message on his Twitter handle, said: “My attention has been drawn to
media reports that I have been summoned to appear before a disciplinary
committee of our great party.
“That I received a letter yesterday evening (Monday) inviting me to a meeting in
respect of the crisis in the House on Tuesday (yesterday) by 2pm at the party’s
office.
“The letter did not in any way indicate it as a disciplinary committee. And I have
responded that I will attend the meeting despite my tight schedules shuttling
between security and anti-corruption agencies to provide support and evidence
against Speaker Dogara and nine others.
“I am confident that the party will do the right thing by throwing its weight to
support our resolve to wipe out corruption in the House and direct Speaker Dogara,
Deputy Speaker Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority Leader Ogor to reconvene the
House immediately and step down to face imminent prosecution and save the party
and our dear country from further embarrassment.”