100 trucks of grain for IDPs were diverted during GEJ's tenure – Senator says

chika ebuzor

October 29, 2016 10:57 PM

Ndume made the assertion in Maiduguri while handing over grains to Borno Government for the IDPs.

Senator Ali Ndume

Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Saturday claimed that 100 trucks of grains meant for to Internally Displaced Persons in the North East were diverted during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonthan.

He alleged the 100 trucks were diverted by the same contractor who also cornered 31 trucks of grains meant for IDPs since April.

The senate leader said the 100 trucks of grains were out of 600 trucks approved by Jonathan, while the 31 missing trucks were out of the 300 approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in April.

Ndume said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had delved into the issue of the grains diverted in April.

“The contractor was reported to the EFCC for action and nine more trucks were recovered, the EFCC also promised to recover all the remaining trucks, ” Ndume said.

“I am passionate about the issue of the missing 31 trucks of grains because I am an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) myself.

“After been given the trust to transport the grains, somebody went and diverted it, I am assuring you that the EFCC is doing its job on the matter, ” Ndume said.

He added: “When we dug up we found it was a cartel, a syndicate or at best a group of thieves doing this to us; there was a great connivance and head will roll.”

“There is a second phase of the case coming up because they also stole our grains during the regime of Present Goodluck Jonathan, am going to follow it up too.

“Jonathan ordered the release of 600 trucks and they stole more than 100 trucks out of it,” he said.

Ndume added: “They cannot go to sleep while am alive, I will follow it up because it is the same contractor.”

He said 29 trucks were traced to the National Strategic Reserve depot in Minna, leaving a total of 31 trucks unaccounted for.

chika ebuzor