The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has established a nine-member ad-hoc committee with the aim of probing the alleged sale of government properties in Lagos and other states by the previous administration led by Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
During a session on Tuesday, Speaker Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi announced the formation of the investigation panel in response to a motion put forward.
The committee has been directed to promptly travel to Lagos to investigate the reported sale of the Nasarawa State Liaison office situated in the state. The Speaker emphasized the importance of a comprehensive inquiry to unravel the circumstances surrounding the alleged sale of government assets during the past administration.
He mentioned that there have been media reports indicating that citizens of Nasarawa State residing in the Lagos Liaison office staged a protest on Monday after being forcibly evacuated from the premises by security personnel. However, it remains unclear whether the properties were indeed sold, how the proceeds were utilized, and who the beneficiaries of the purported property sale are.
The committee was urged to ensure a thorough and fair investigation in the interest of development. The Speaker specified that individuals involved in the matter, including representatives from the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the Accountant General, and the Board of Internal Revenue Service, must be summoned for clarification.
Furthermore, the Speaker explained that the committee’s scope of inquiry would extend to the status of Nasarawa State Government properties across the country.
Mr. Larry Ven Bawa was appointed as the chairman of the committee, with other members including Mr. Iliya Luka Zhekaba, Mr. Musa Ibrahim, Mr. Mohammed Omadefu, Mr. Suleiman Azara, Mr. Danladi Jatau, Mr. Saidu Gude, Mr. Mohammed Isimbabi, Mr. Mohammed Oyanki, and Mr. Ibrahim Musa.
The committee received an assurance to conduct its investigation impartially and without bias. Earlier, Mohammed Adamu Omadefu, the Majority Leader of the House, expressed concern that the protest by Nasarawa State indigenes in Lagos had negatively impacted the state’s reputation.
