Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has debunked claim that one Abdullazeez Bako is a staff neither was he or any of it former monitors authorized by our organisation to carry out any further monitoring of returned Abacha loot beyond the MANTRA project field monitoring period.
The Communication Officer, Mr. Hussein Adeleye in a statement issued said their attention has been drawn to the arrest of one Mr. Abdullazeez Bakor, Founder of Center for Citizens Right by security agency allegedly for being in possession of yet to be ascertained numbers of E-Wallet payment cards of beneficiaries of the National Cash Transfer Programme in Nasarawa State.
He explained that Mr. Abdullazeez Bako, Director of Centre for Citizens Right, Lafia, Nasarawa state was one of the former monitors hired during the MANTRA project implementation, to monitor cash disbursements in Nasarawa state and has since been disengaged and stopped from monitoring cash transfer programme in the state.
“Furthermore, the said Mr. Abdullazeez Bako arrested is not a Staff of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) neither was he or any of our former monitors authorized by our organisation to carry out any further monitoring of returned Abacha loot beyond the MANTRA project field monitoring period. Specifically, the said Abdullazeez Bako was told to stop monitoring cash disbursements when he kept sending reports to ANEEJ office in the month of July 2022.
“The over seven hundred (700) monitors hired by ANEEJ nationwide were mandated to subscribe to ANEEJ Safeguard policy which forbade any monitor or agent from involvement in any corrupt practice or criminal activity. Law enforcement agencies are by this notice advised to apprehend any person or group of persons who undertake any criminal activity to undermine the smooth distribution of cash to the poor beneficiaries nationwide.
“ANEEJ will continue to work with all key stakeholders, including the NCTO and the beneficiaries to ensure the integrity of the entire cash transfer process. We commend the swiftness with which security agencies tracked and arrested the suspect in reference.
“The National Cash Transfer Office and its agents as well as the security agents should continue to deal with any individual or group of persons who perpetrate any act of criminality in the course of cash disbursements to poor Nigerians in accordance with the laws of the land,” he said.
