Babachirgate: Senate To Lunch Full Scale Investigation, Demands For SGF's Companies and BVNs

The Senate is set to re- investiage the grass cutting scandal involving the SGF, therefore, they have requested for the Bank Verification Numbers of some companies linked to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, who were contracted for various projects on the rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons.

The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East set up by the Senate to probe the alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the IDPs may also re-invite Lawal for questioning.

On Tuesday, an official of the Senate, who is conversant with the inner workings of the committee, said the panel did  not want to rely only on the statements of account of the companies which was provided earlier but will need more details to have a thorough investigation

According to him, “Apart from the statements of accounts submitted to us during the investigative hearings, we have also requested for the Bank Verification Numbers of the companies to authenticate the details of transactions provided to us and for us to know the operators of the accounts.”

The source revealed  that the contractors engaged for various projects on the rehabilitation of the IDPs would also be summoned by the panel.

It was reliably learnt on Tuesday that the companies to be invited for questioning have been linked with the SGF.

The companies include Rholavision Engineering Limited, Josmond Technology Limited, Medina International Global Limited, Muby Ventures Nigeria Limited and JMT.

The interim report of the committee had indicted Lawal and the Presidential Initiative on the North-East being superintended by the Office of the SGF.

Based on the interim report of the committee, the Senate had on December 14, 2016, called for the resignation, probe and prosecution of the SGF over alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the North-East rehabilitation under his watch.

The lawmakers specifically called on security and anti-graft agencies to arrest and prosecute Lawal, who is overseeing the presidential initiative, for allegedly owning one of the companies awarded contracts in the rehabilitation of the North-East.