By Danlami Nmodu
One of the two women whose nomination to the board of ICPC was on Sunday dropped by the Presidency has reacted to the development and told her story with shocking details.
Hajiya Maimuna said in a statement emailed to Newsdiaryonline, inter alia, “The news report pointing to a report in May 2017 indicting me is a mere fluke. All these highly placed business men who have been variously found culpable by the investigations and also angry with me for exposing them have colluded to stop my appointment for fear that they will further be exposed. That is the simple reason why they have resorted to media maligning of my person.
She added“I find it ridiculous that whereas I had written a petition alerting the appropriate authorities of the financial malfeasances at Aso Savings and Loans, rather than take the necessary action against the company and the persons so identified, I am being maligned and my name being dragged to the mud for flimsy reasons. How wrong.” Her petition to the IGP with accompanying documents, which Newsdiaryonline has earlier published, identified big guns who allegedly looted Aso Savings and Loans.
However, Maimuna added “While thanking the presidency for the opportunity of the nomination in the first place, I will pray that proper independent investigation be carried out by the Acting President to fathom out the real situation of things. That is the only way that proper justice would be seen to have been done. I will personally be happy to see that those who plundered Aso Savings and Loans are brought to book.”
For the record,the full text of her press statement below:
RE: NOMINATION TO THE BOARD OF ICPC. MY STORY.
On the 21st June, 2017, I had written a petition against Aso Savings and Loans PLC, where I catalogued the several infractions, frauds and corruption of Mr. TundeAyeni and his protégé; Mr. AdekunleAdedigba over funds that were misappropriated. I duly submitted copies of the said petition in June 2017 to Directorate of State Security [DSS], Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation [NDIC], Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and related offences [ICPC] and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. It is interesting to note that two clear months after I submitted the petition with weighty allegations against the Aso Savings and the persons earlier mentioned, nothing has been done about it, but they were quick to go to press that I was being investigated to deny me of the appointment earlier made by the Acting President.
No matter how long it takes; the real truth about the plundering and looting of Aso Savings and Loans PLC will be made open irrespective of the threat to my life and my family. I have been harassed and openly embarrassed as a result of this but I am resolute that the truth will vindicate me. It is important to note that being investigated does not amount to being guilty or culpable of the issues of investigation. Even when there are issues to clear, the final destination is the court of competent jurisdiction before any verdict can be passed on anyone. I find it ridiculous that whereas I had written a petition alerting the appropriate authorities of the financial malfeasances at Aso Savings and Loans, rather than take the necessary action against the company and the persons so identified, I am being maligned and my name being dragged to the mud for flimsy reasons. How wrong.
FACTS OF THE MATTER.
On March 19, 2009 I was given offer of appointment as Divisional Head, Products & Markets Division on an Executive Director level. Parts of my incentives as contained in my offer letter were the following:
- The bank will give you N80,000,000 [Eighty Million Naira] 15 year mortgage, at 5 percent interest rate.
- Stock options for N40,000,000[ forty million naira] units of ASO shares [at a price to be determined when the board approves the stock option plan]
- A status and domestic car
- A premium health insurance plan with our local providers
- 2 Business class tickets
- Performance related Pay to be determined by the board.
The first major assignment I was given was on how to recover bad loans being owed the Bank by Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company [AUMTCO] totaling N2b [Two Billion Naira] without collateral security. The Bank presented a very hopeless situation to me and prevailed on me to use my banking experience to help the bank out.
My initial findings revealed that the land which housed the Abuja Urban Mass Transit was actually vacant and measured about 5.02 hectares. The Managing Director at that time Mr. Hassan Usman using his technical team valued the land at N3b. Armed with this information; I approached the former FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed to allocate the land to Aso Savings in order to write off the loan.
The former Minister called for a meeting comprising management of both the Federal Capital Territory Authority and the Aso Savings and Loans. The Aso Savings Team was led by Hassan Usman, its Managing Director as at that time. At the meeting, Aso Savings granted waiver of N500m off the total loan and also approved N250m for the AUMTCO to relocate and paid N50m to a former Minister in order for him to remove the underground tank on the said land.
The FCT former Minister, granted Aso Savings 50% off in payment for the Certificates of Occupancy. In 2011, the MD, Mr. Hassan Usman awarded the contract for the building of the estate which initially stood at 43 housing units of 5bedroom duplexes fully detached. The figures increased to 60 units when additional 8,000meters was conceded to Aso Savings on the same land. On seeing my performance and in line with my terms of appointment which I have stated above, the Bank approved one of the properties for me while the MD, Permanent Secretary and one Abdul Muktar, a former Chairman of the Bank also got their allocations.
When Mr. Tunde Ayeni became Chairman of the Bank, he was allegedly paid N250m in lieu of the house. And as events later unfolded, when Tunde Ayeni wanted his protégé Mr. Kunle Adedigba to assume the Managing Director of the Bank, Mr. Hassan Usman got infuriated and later catalogued all the atrocities of Mr. Tunde Ayeni which totaled N1.7b including the N250m he had collected in lieu of the house.
Mr. Tunde Ayeni was forced to pay the N250m. This angered him hence he insisted that all beneficiaries must pay or return their allocated houses. It is instructive to note that the said house has Deed of Assignment duly signed by the Bank Secretary and Director.
I did resign from the Bank in 2013. In 2015, two years after I had resigned following all manners of shady deals which I could no longer accommodate, Aso Savings took Police to the said house with a letter saying the occupant, who happens to be my son, was occupying the property illegally. Upon receiving news of the harassment, I wrote to Aso Savings and attached a copy of the Deed of Assignment which was duly signed by the Company Secretary, Bilkisi Rimi and one Peter Longe. Meanwhile, Aso Savings through her Agent Brendford were in receipt annually of N1.5m as service charge on the said property. When Aso Savings refused to reply my enquiries, I had to seek redress in law court. As I write this, we have been in court with Aso Savings and they have been dilly-dallying on the case in order to frustrate me. I remain undaunted.
It is worthy of note that the ICPC did a thorough investigation and saw the facts of the matter especially the approval given by the Managing Director, Hassan Usman. It was a house given to me as performance related bonus in line with the terms of my appointment and approved by the Board; aware that five of them were also beneficiaries.
In 2015, Aso Savings petitioned me to the Police. Investigation was carried out and when Aso Savings felt unsatisfied with the findings, they petitioned me again in 2016. I was invited on two occasions but Aso Savings didn’t show up. The investigation was carried out by Garba Baba Umar who I understand is presently in Anambra state as Commissioner of Police. No one has called me on anything until I heard of my nomination into ICPC Board and news started flying around trying to malign me and drag my name in the mud. The news report pointing to a report in May 2017 indicting me is a mere fluke. All these highly placed business men who have been variously found culpable by the investigations and also angry with me for exposing them have colluded to stop my appointment for fear that they will further be exposed. That is the simple reason why they have resorted to media maligning of my person.
Part of the earlier investigations involve land allocations in Jahi area of Abuja when the Bank was looking for ways to recover its N1b donations to the campaign funds of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 elections through Mr. Tunde Ayeni and Hassan Usman, the Managing Director. The transaction was done through Tunde Olutoyl account. It was the reason Mr. Tunde Ayeni was detained by EFCC and still being investigated till date.
The said lands were given to me to look for customers to buy them. I contracted them out to willing middlemen who would be able to dispose them off within a short period of time. The plots were slated for N19m each but those who sold them [not me] collected N23m per plot.
END NOTE.
I have since discovered that my life is no longer safe in the hands of Mr. Tunde Ayeni and Hassan Usman both of whom have sworn to get rid of me for exposing them. They will stop at nothing to drag me in and rubbish me especially once they heard my name being nominated for the ICPC appointment. The facts of the matter speak for themselves. Having petitioned all the relevant agencies in the last two months, I am surprised that they have not swung into action, but the Police that has shown unwillingness to commence investigation on my petition, was quick to allegedly issue a report concerning their previous investigation on me without nothing to show for it, yet now curiously talking about indictment. How laughable.
While thanking the presidency for the opportunity of the nomination in the first place, I will pray that proper independent investigation be carried out by the Acting President to fathom out the real situation of things. That is the only way that proper justice would be seen to have been done. I will personally be happy to see that those who plundered Aso Savings and Loans are brought to book.
Signed…..
Hajia Maimuna Aliyu.
