- The invitation is for him to answer questions following findings of a N6.5 billion unpaid revenue
- The invitation was to also assist in ejecting the concessionaire of the Trade Fair Complex, LITFC, AULIC Nigeria Limited
The Senate Ad-hoc committee on alleged fraudulent activities in collection, accounting, remittance and expenditure by revenue generating agencies has invited the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, to appear before it.
Senator Solomon Adeola, the committee’s chairman said in statement signed by his media adviser, Mr Kayode Odunaro, on Sunday, October 29, in Abuja that the invitation was after they found a N6.5 billion unpaid revenue accruing from the Lagos Trade Fair Complex.
Others invited to appear before the committee are: the Director Generals (DGs) of Directorate of State Security (DSS), Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and National Council on Privatisation (NCP).
Senator Adeola said they needed the police and DSS to assist the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) in recovering the money, which had accrued for over nine years.
According to NAN, They also need their assistance in ejecting the concessionaire of the Trade Fair Complex, LITFC, AULIC Nigeria Limited and recovering the complex.
It was necessary to recover the 322 hectares multi billion Naira complex following a huge debt due in the N40 billion lease fees.
The DG of BPE, Mr Alex Okoh, said the concession agreement to AULIC Nigeria Limited was revoked in early September by the federal government.
However, all efforts to eject the concessionaire including the use of the divisional police at the complex and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had failed.
Senator Adeola said: “After the initial fees of N200 million paid by the concessionaire in 2007 and another N12 million, it has not paid a dime to the federal government, with outstanding revenue of N6.5 billion.
“The concessionaire has bastardised the trade fair complex with hospitality and real estate businesses without approved plans.
“It is shocking that an individual or corporate organisation could operate so lawlessly, withholding federal government revenue, while contravening a government revocation order of his concessionaire agreement.
“What we need to do at this point is to recover the Trade Fair Complex from the concessionaire and subsequently pursue the issue of N6.5 billion unremitted federal government revenue.
“Since the local police cannot handle the ejection with the concessionaire still operating and collecting revenue using all manner of tactics including thuggery, we are inviting the IG-P and DG-DSS to address this illegal challenge on the authority.
“I am surprised that anyone can flagrantly operate as if he is above the law and the government."
Meanwhile, the Nigeria police has dismissed statement by Senator Isah Misau in the media alleging that the IGP Ibrahim Idris, bought two jeeps for the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari.
The force also faulted statement credited to the senator that the IGP manipulated his retirement age. Jimoh Moshood, the force public relations officer, force headquarters, in a statement made available to Onlinenigeria.com on Thursday, October 26, said the police had studied the allegations made by the senator and found them to be outright falsehood, misleading and unfounded.
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