Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Investigative journalist Jackson Ude has leveled damning accusations against the former Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habib Ahmed, alleging widespread corruption and embezzlement totaling over N3 billion in just one month (between January and February of 2023).
According to information made available to Truth Live News, Ahmed orchestrated a scheme involving the awarding of fictitious contracts to 27 companies, many of which were recently registered , still have incomplete registrations and linked to proxies. These companies purportedly received millions of dollars in payments from NEMA, despite lacking legitimate operational capacities.
Ahmed, who was appointed by the administration of former President Mohammadu Buhari in 2021, allegedly utilized Nasir Danu, a notorious contractor, as a front for his fraudulent activities.
The extent of the alleged corruption is staggering, with payments totaling nearly N2.2 billion made to these questionable entities in September 2023 alone. The list of companies implicated in the scandal includes Nagurafe Trading Ltd, Bar and Billet Ltd, Fuldan Rice Mills Ltd, and numerous others, all allegedly used by Ahmed to siphon funds from NEMA and exploit the nation’s resources for personal gain.
These revelations raise serious concerns about accountability and oversight within NEMA, as well as the broader issue of corruption in Nigeria’s public institutions.