The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched an investigation into another N1.3bn alleged contract scam in Oyo State involving the 33 Local Government Areas of the state.
Chairman of one of the councils was said to have petitioned the anti-graft agency to stop the planned deduction of the amount from the joint allocation account of the state and the LGs.
The amount was ostensibly meant for the payment for 33 trucks and skip bins for the LGs at the rate of about N39m per unit of the truck.
A source at the EFCC who pleaded anonymity because he is not the official spokesman, said the whistle blower claimed that the Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala government had compelled the chairmen to accept the proposal by signing for the deduction of the amount.
It was learnt that the governor had directed that the amount be deducted from source from the councils‘ July allocations.
The petitioner claimed that the same 33 trucks had been supplied by a senator, who is now an ambassador, and paid for last year through the same arm-twisting approach.
The EFCC source said, ”We are investigating the claim by the petitioner that the same contract had now been awarded to a female friend of one of the top officials of the government.
”We are also looking into the allegation that the chairmen were forced to sign agreeing to the deductions. The amount is likely to be deducted from the source between today (Friday) and next week.”
When contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the commission was in possession of ”such petition.”
He said, ”It‘s true that a concerned stakeholder in the state petitioned the EFCC alleging planned double payment for 33 trucks. We are investigating the claims.”
In his reaction, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communications, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, described the alleged contract scam as ”unsubstantiated”
He added, ”The allegation that Oyo State Government has ordered double payment for the procurement of 34 trucks amounts to political indiscipline in the ranks of the opposition.
”Throwing unsubstantiated stories about is a big minus especially in the wake of another discredited allegation from the same source by the EFCC.”
