There is tension in the Niger State Government House over alleged misappropriation, gross misconduct and fraudulent diversion of N600 million by principal officers to the Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello.
But in a swift reaction, the Government debunked the rumours that Bello has suspended his Chief of Staff and other aides over the development.
The Government reacted to the allegation as published in a media outlet, not The Eagle Online, which alleged that the Chief of Staff, Mikail Bmitosahi, was suspended alongside the Special Assistant to the Governor on Information and Communication Technology, Mallam Abdulberqy Usman Ebbo, whose office was allegedly used to siphon the money between April and October this year.
A source close to the Government House said the two principal officers allegedly used the money to settle bloggers and launder the image of the governor and the government on social media.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the whole scam was blown open when the Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Jibrin Ndache, put forward a request for N10 million for the payment of bloggers and to settle some online media.
It was gathered that after the Governor ordered their suspension, he told his Principal Private Secretary, Mallam Adamu Aliyu, who has been having running battle with the embattled Chief of Staff, to oversee the office.
However, in a statement signed by the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Danjuma Sallau, and made available to our Correspondent on Thursday, the government condemned the report, saying: “The report is malicious and untrue.”
According to Sallau: “The allegation of gross misconduct and fraudulent diversion of N600 million, nothing is farther than the truth as the allegation is not only false but a calculated attempt to soil the image of the Chief of Staff whom the Governor has bestowed serious responsibilities since the inception of the administration.
“The Chief of Staff, the Chief Press Secretary and other top Niger state government functionaries are presently on the entourage of the governor to meet with the United States African Development Foundation to partner in Agriculture and solar grid development. It is instructive that in the absence if the Chief of staff somebody must deputise.”
On the alleged rift between the Chief Press Secretary and the Director General of ICT, Government House, and not the Senior Special Assistant as was wrongly quoted, he said: “The Chief Press Secretary is the Principal coordinator of all media machinery to the governor and there is no basis for any rift including the alleged N10 million mentioned.”