Senate Investigates Agency over Sale of N31m Jeeps for N1.5m

The Senate Public Accounts Committee has commenced investigation
into the alleged sale of two Prado Jeeps worth N31 million at N1.5
million by officials of the Lake Chad Research Institute,
Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
The committee made the discovery while scrutinising the 2015-2018
Auditor General’s report currently being treated by both chambers
of the National Assembly.

According to the AuGF report, the Prado jeeps were procured in
2013 and 2014, respectively but were sold three years after they
were bought.

The AuGF had issued a query based on the inability of the
management of the institute to provide reasons for the sale of the
jeeps at such a low price.

The query reads: “The management of the Institute could not
account for two Toyota Prado Jeeps, which were purchased in 2013
and 2014 with registration No. 45KOIFG for one Jeep while the other
had not been registered. No reason was given for not registering
the second Prado Jeep. In addition, a Toyota Hiace bus with
registration No. 45KO3FG could not be accounted for during an
audit.

“This is a violation of Financial Regulation 2128 which states
that ‘Every public officer is personally and pecuniary responsible
for government property under his control or in his custody. The
inability of the management of the Institute to account for
Government property under their custody suggests abuse and
mismanagement, as Government property may have been diverted to
private use. The Executive Director is required to account for the
vehicles. The issue was communicated to the Executive Director
through my Audit Inspection Report Ref. No. EIAD/WTR 16/CORP/4
dated 21st December 2017 but he failed to respond.”

The Institute in its response said the vehicle was purchased on
March 21, 2014, at the cost of N18.7 million, adding that the
former Executive Director, Dr. Oluwasina Olabanji, sought the
approval to board the vehicle to the former Chairman of the
Institute Governing Board, Mr. Yakubu Tsala at the cost of N750,000
only.

The Institute also explained that the second Prado Jeep was
purchased on September 18, 2013, at the cost of N12.4 million and a
request for approval to board the vehicle and was written to ARCN
dated June 7th, 2017.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mathew Urhoghide
yesterday, expressed shock when the current Executive Director of
the institute, Dr. Alhassan Bibinu, told the committee that he was
using a refurbished Hilux as an official car.

The Committee thereafter directed the Institute’s boss to come
along with the former Executive Director who allegedly gave the
order for the sale of the two Prado Jeeps.

The Senate Public Accounts Committee has commenced investigation
into the alleged sale of two Prado Jeeps worth N31 million at N1.5
million by officials of the Lake Chad Research Institute,
Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
The committee made the discovery while scrutinising the 2015-2018
Auditor General’s report currently being treated by both chambers
of the National Assembly.

According to the AuGF report, the Prado jeeps were procured in
2013 and 2014, respectively but were sold three years after they
were bought.

The AuGF had issued a query based on the inability of the
management of the institute to provide reasons for the sale of the
jeeps at such a low price.

The query reads: “The management of the Institute could not
account for two Toyota Prado Jeeps, which were purchased in 2013
and 2014 with registration No. 45KOIFG for one Jeep while the other
had not been registered. No reason was given for not registering
the second Prado Jeep. In addition, a Toyota Hiace bus with
registration No. 45KO3FG could not be accounted for during an
audit.

“This is a violation of Financial Regulation 2128 which states
that ‘Every public officer is personally and pecuniary responsible
for government property under his control or in his custody. The
inability of the management of the Institute to account for
Government property under their custody suggests abuse and
mismanagement, as Government property may have been diverted to
private use. The Executive Director is required to account for the
vehicles. The issue was communicated to the Executive Director
through my Audit Inspection Report Ref. No. EIAD/WTR 16/CORP/4
dated 21st December 2017 but he failed to respond.”

The Institute in its response said the vehicle was purchased on
March 21, 2014, at the cost of N18.7 million, adding that the
former Executive Director, Dr. Oluwasina Olabanji, sought the
approval to board the vehicle to the former Chairman of the
Institute Governing Board, Mr. Yakubu Tsala at the cost of N750,000
only.

The Institute also explained that the second Prado Jeep was
purchased on September 18, 2013, at the cost of N12.4 million and a
request for approval to board the vehicle and was written to ARCN
dated June 7th, 2017.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mathew Urhoghide
yesterday, expressed shock when the current Executive Director of
the institute, Dr. Alhassan Bibinu, told the committee that he was
using a refurbished Hilux as an official car.

The Committee thereafter directed the Institute’s boss to come
along with the former Executive Director who allegedly gave the
order for the sale of the two Prado Jeeps.