…Gboko LG Official Who Died In Auto Crash To Be Replaced By Unauthorized Person
By Justine Kumekar, Makurdi
Facts have emerged that the Benue State Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has gone into panic mode and convened an emergency Joint Accounts (JAAC) meeting slated for this morning at the Bureau’s headquarters in Makurdi.
Credible sources reveal that the meeting is in response to the House of Representatives Public Petitions Committee summons to officials of the Bureau and those of the 23 local government councils in the state to appear before it on Tuesday, 5th March, 2024 to answer questions on allegations of diversion of over N20 billion meant for the councils.
A series of petitions from civil society organizations and groups have since called on anti corruption agencies to investigate the allegations and prosecute those found culpable, prompting the Reps Petitions Committee to summon the Bureau officials and the local council administrations to appear before it.
However, there was a sad twist to the story late last night when a finance official of Gboko Local Government Council, by name, Mr. Tarkumbur, while rushing to Makurdi on the summons of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura, was involved in a ghastly motor accident and died on the spot.
While the remains of the Mr. Tarkumbur have been deposited at a hospital in Gboko, a hurried arrangement was made by Adviser Akura to replace him at the scheduled meeting by one Mr. Abuul who, our sources disclosed, is not qualified to act in such sensitive capacity.
The aim of the emergency JAAC meeting, it has been gathered, is to prepare cover-up budgets for the 23 local government councils and present same back dated to reflect doctored account figures before presentation to the House of Reps Public Petitions Committee.
The beehive of activities under cover of darkness at the Benue State Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs is proof that the allegations of fraud there are indeed credible, and it will be in the interest of the Benue public to be vigilant over events unfolding there between now and the appearance of the state’s officials before the Reps Committee.
Credible sources also say that there have been plans by the Bureau officials to send out monetary gratifications to compromise investigators to prevent a possible indictment of the Bureau officials at the appearance before the Reps Petitions Committee.
