The Managenent of Minanta Enterprising Nigeria Limited and Eximab Integrated Link Limited have threatened to re-approach the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ICPC over non payment of over N800 million balance of the fertilizer they supplied to Zamfara State government since 2011.
The Chairman of the group of Companies Alhaji Umar Ahmed Tijjani while addressing a press conference in Gusau on Monday said he will continue to pursue the former Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari Abubakar and some of his political associates especially Mukhtar Shehu Idris, the former Commissioner for Finance and immediate APC gubernatorial candidate and one Alhaji Abubakar Dantabawa Gada.
He told newsmen that he secured a contract for the supply of fertilizer to Zamfara State Government during the tenure of the former Governor Abdulazeez Yari worth N1,950,000,000 inclusive of transport to various local government areas of the state and that according to him, the quantity of fertilizer agreed between his companies and state government was supplied and handed over according the contract specifications.
He said after the launching of the sales of the fertilizer he procured at Gummi in 2011 he was given a part payment of N750 million and since then his predicament started.
He further explained that after sometimes, while he was pursuing his payment, one Abu Dantabawa allegedly connived with some contractors to supply fake fertilizer worth over thirty trucks and delivered same to the government’s fertilizer store in Gusau.
He said instead of his payment to be made, he was framed by same Abu Dantabawa who reported him to the police that he (Tijjani) had supplied fake fertilizer to the state.
He added that he was quizzed by the police and later by the EFCC for an offense he did not commit and he was detained for several months.
He alleged that, while he was undergoing series of intimidation and harassment by the security agencies, same Abu Dantabawa connived with the former APC gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 general elections and former Commissioner for Finance, Mukhtar Shehu Idris to secure payment of the remaining balance of 800 million naira of the fertilizer he supplied in 2011 without his consent.
He added that while he used his two companies Minanta Enterprises Nigeria Limited and Eximab Integrated Link Limited to supply the fertilizer, Dantabawa and Mukhtar Shehu Idris allegedly used one company by name “Jega enterprise Nigeria Limited” to secure the payment of the 800 million naira without his consent.
He said the owner of the said Jega Enterprises, one Alh Sani Jega, went to a Federal High Court, Abuja to testify that his company was never issued with contract for the supply of fertilizer neither had he received any payment to that effect from Zamfara state government.
He said he is in possession of all the documents to validate or substantiate his claims about the contract including evidence of handing over of the fertilizer and payment vouchers of the initial 750 million naira made to him.
He also accused the former Finance Commissioner of aiding same Abu Dantabawa to get payment of 160 million naira for agro-chemicals he (Tijjani) supplied on behalf of Dantabawa which was supposed to be made through the account of Minanta Enterprises Nigeria Limited.
He accused Abu Dantabawa of collecting USD90,000 as advance payment for a contract of hospital equipment which he claimed was awarded to the Governor’s wife but never saw the light of the day.
He equally accused same Abu Dantabawa of collecting a total of 160 million naira cash for the former Governor as his compensation for the fertilizer contract awarded to his company apart from other collections he severally made on behalf of the former Governor.
He said at a time when the whole drama came to the lime light, he got security operatives to arrest Abu Dantabawa in demand of the refund of his N160 million naira he earlier collected on behalf of the former Governor but claimed that Abu Dantabawa was able to refund only about 40 million naira.
On the USD90,000 issued to Governor’s wife through Abu Dantabawa, Tijjani claimed that when he reported the matter to the police in Kano, the former Governor personally invited the police investigation officer and released the sum of 5 million naira to him as the only amount known to have been collected by his wife through Abubakar Dantabawa.
Tijjani said the police officer is alive, the case file is also available and the police man who is investigated the matter is ready to testify when the matter comes up for re-investigation.
He accused the former Governor and Dantabawa for his ordeal saying, despite what he has contributed at the beginning of the government of Yari in 2011 he has reached a point where he was using Taxi drop in Abuja after dashing out over 30 vehicles to the former Governor’s political associates and his family members.
He also alleged that at several times, Abu Dantabawa and others had been framing to use hired killers to eliminate him simply for claiming the refund of what belongs to him.
He vowed to re-approach EFCC and ICPC to get justice noting that if they had used their power of incumbency to block him from getting justice, now that they are not in power, he will renew his fight for justice.
MUKHTAR IDRIS KOGUNAN GUSAU CHALLENGES MR.TIJJANI TO LINK HIM ON EVIDENCE WITH THE ALLEGED PAYMENT OF N800 MILLION
Zamfara State former Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris has refuted the allegation linking him with the payment of NN800 million for the fertilizer supplied to the state government in 2011.
Mukhtar Shehu said he was surprised at the recent allegations coming from Mr. Tijjani knowing fully that he was neither the Commissioner for Agriculture nor that of Finance when he (Tijjani) supplied the fertilizer to Zamfara state government and also when the payment was made to him.
Koguna said, to the best of his knowledge same Tijjani approached him on the issue of fertilizer supply in 2011 and that after extensive discussion he linked him with former Governor Yari who eventually awarded him with the contract.
He said after that, he knew nothing that transpired between Tijjani and officials of the state government noting that the whole issue is simple since the records are available to speak for themselves.
“I introduced Mr. Tijjani to Governor Yari in 2011 based own his submission and personal commitment to me that he has the fertilizer of the highest quantity we wanted as at that time and he can deliver same within the time frame.
Koguna said “after getting the job Tijjani decided to sideline me and operate with the officials of the state government unilaterally and I held no objection to that and I don’t know why he is dragging me in to this issue again”.
“When the payment was made to him we were not even appointed as Commissioners in the cabinet of Yari and how can I connive to divert the money belonging to someone when I was not even an authority as at that time”
Koguna who challenged Mr. Tijjani to link him with the company “Jega Enterprising” if he is serious with his allegations said, he was neither a director nor a signatory to the company in question and that if there is any evidence that links him with the company or the transaction he should as a matter of public interest make it public.
“As journalists you can go to the Ministry of Finance and get the records clearly whether Mukhtar Shehu Idris was involved in the fertilizer transaction involving either Mr. Tijjani or Sani Jega. This would ease the whole drama because there must be record at the ministry and they are the records should speak for themselves”.
“In the interim you can go to State Ministry for Agriculture and also inquire if my hands are involved in the supply of fertilizer throughout my stay in Zamfara as Commissioner. There is nothing to hide we should not resort to blame game when we have short of evidences to probe our allegations”.
He added that “it sound suspicious for someone to alleged that, he was framed and detained for supplying a fake fertilizer by another person for me the statement by Mr. Tijjani sounds illogical” Koguna added.
YAHAYA ABUBAKAR YARI DEFENDS ALLEGARION AGAINST ZAMFARA FMR. GOVERNOR ABDULAZEEZ ABUBAKAR YARI
The younger brother of Zamfara former Governor Abdulazeez Yari, Alh Yahaya Abubakar Yari has distanced his brother, Abdulazeez Yari from the allegations of diversion of the payment of 800 million naira balance of the contract of supply of fertilizer by one Umar Ahmad Tijjani.
Yahaya said, he is aware that same Umar Ahmad Tijjani was given contract for the supply of fertilizer to Zamfara state government at the beginning of the administration of his brother.
He said he knew fully that, when late Malami Aliyu Yandoto was the Commissioner for Agriculture, he had to intervene and plead with him to apply for the release of the payment to the contractor considering the fact that he was able to support the government’s vision of getting the fertilizer as at when due as part of the fulfilment of the campaign promise by his brother.
He confirmed that he is aware there have been lingering crises between Abu Dantabawa and Umar Ahmad Tijjani the contractor in question to the extent that, some time during Yari’s regime, Umar Tijjani had to secured the arrest and detention of Abubakar Dantabawa for almost two weeks.
He also explained that, there have been a lot of mediation to resolve the dispute between the Abu Dantabawa and Tijjani even as former Governor had to be pursued to give some small contracts to Dantabawa for him to be able to get money and refund some monies he is owing Tijjani.
On the allegation that his brother requested for 160 million naira cash from Tijjani Yahaya said “it is never true” and Dantabawa may have used Yari’s name to perfect that, noting that there is never an evidence that linked former Governor Yari with the collection of 160 million naira from a contractor.
He also denied the allegations that USD90,000 was paid to the Governor’s wife for the hospital contract asking what connects former Governor’s wife with Government contract.
He said if that amount of dollar was paid to Abu Dantabawa by the contractor as alleged, it may be that Dantabawa used the former Governor’s name to perfect the deal.
Also on the allegation that he has done so many things for the government, Yahaya said former Governor Yari has never asked for anything from Tijjani but he might have done it to reciprocate the gesture.
He said to the best of his knowledge Tijjani was paid his money for the supply of fertilizer 100% and that if late Malami Yandoto was alive he will confirm that Tijjani is supposed to refund about 30 trucks of fertilizer to te state government.
ABU DANTABAWA ACCUSES GOVERNOR MATAWALLE OF ACTING BEHIND SCENE
The Principal accused in the whole drama Alh Abubakar Dantabawa has accused Governor Matawalle of working behind the scene to get him humiliated at all cost.
Dantabawa said, he would not want to join issues with Umar Ahmad Tijjani the petitioner because he duped the government of Zamfara State during the reign of former Governor Yari and raised unnecessary financial claims.
He also alleged that Tijjani went to an extent of mixing sand with fertilizer and delivered same adulterated products to the state government, a development that led to his arrest and detention.
“Anyone who knows Umar Ahmad Tijjani knew him as someone who specializes in duping people and he has dozens of cases at the EFCC and force headquarters and was detained at Abuja, Kano and Kaduna prisons for several times” Dantabawa added.
Dantabawa who confirmed having transaction with Tijjani alleged that he was introduced to Tijjani by somebody after he secured contract for the supply of fertilizer to Zamfara State Government in 2011.
He alleged that he sold the contract to Mr. Tijjani knowing fully he, Dantabawa does not have a registered company and Tijjani agreed to supply the product and settled him his interest.
He said apart from that he cannot explain what transpired between Mr. Tijjani and the state government until when he heard that the man was arrested for supplying fake fertilizer to the government.
Dantabawa denied the allegations that he collected a payment of 800 million naira from Zamfara state government account in the name of payment for supply of fertilizer belonging to Ahnad Umar Tijjani noting that, the allegation is unfounded.
He also denied the allegations that he had collected money in different forms from Tijjani in the name of former Governor as well as denied having any deal with Jega Enterprises Nigeria Limited.
“Since the former Governor Abdulazeez Yari left office in 2019, I was never invited or interrogated by EFCC or any investigation agency in connection with the immediate past government of Zamfara, this is because I does not have a hand in anything that has to do with contract during Abdulazeez Yari’s regime” Dantabawa maintained.
He accused Governor Bello Matawalle of masterminding the whole scenario just to get him humiliated even as he alleged that Matawalle made similar attempt when he announced to the whole world that he has evidence that Dantabawa has been meeting with bandits in his Gusau house.
He insisted that, if Matawalle must resort to using harassment and intimidation to get him separated with former Governor Yari, he will not succeed because there is no reason why he should leave the former Governor Abdulazeez Yari.
LEAVE GOV. MATAWALLE ALONE, FACE YOUR ALLEGATIONS: DG. PRESS TO MATAWALLE TELLS ABU DANTABAWA
Director General Press Affairs to Governnor Bello Matawalle Malam Yusuf Idris warned th Abu Danatabawa to leave Governor Bello Matawalle out of the issues raised by Ahmad Umar Tijjani and face his allegations squarely.
Idris said it surprised that Dantabawa is derailing from the issue at stake since Matawalle was not involved in the award of the contract or the payment process.
“Matawalle was not the seating Governor when the contract was awarded to Mr. Tijjani and when the whole payments were made, so why is Dantabawa dragging Matawalle in to the issue again” Idris asked.
He alleged that Abu Dantabawa is just being mischievous because he knew very well that he is not relevant politically and in the history of politics in Zamfara he has never won his polling unit in Gada ward not to talk of adding any political value to his Bungudu local government.
“Matawalle is a Governor and Dantabawa should know that, as Governor his relevance is evidently known statewide so he should restrict himself and face his allegation of diversion of funds and get the money refunded” Yusuf added.
