Assets’ Sales Probe: Nasarawa Assembly Team Visits Lagos

Nasarawa State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee probing the sales of government assets by the administration of former governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura in Lagos and other locations has commenced work.

The team has visited Lagos to look into the sales of the State Liaison Office in Victoria Island.

A statement by Mr Jibrin Gwamina, the chief press secretary to the speaker, Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, said the probe team led by Mr Larry Ven Bawa has visited the facility on Plot 1,234 Bishop Oluwole, Victoria Island, Lagos State.

“The committee inspected the entire structure of two blocks of two-storey building with many rooms, boys quarters, cafeteria, swimming pool and other facilities,” the statement said.

It said the team also met with some citizens of the state residence in Lagos under their union, Nasarawa State Development Association, Lagos chapter “where they had a comprehensive interaction.”

“We are here as directed by Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi the speaker, this was based on our resolutions during the House proceedings to investigate alleged sales of state government properties in Lagos and other states by the then administration of Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

“To find out the real cause of the protest by our citizens in Lagos , see the building, know your conditions and situations, especially those arrested as well as investigate if actually the building was sold, who bought it, where is the transaction process and whether the money was deposited in government coffer or not,” the committee chairman, Bawa, was quoted to have said.

Bawa said Nasarawa, like every other state, needs to have a liaison office in Lagos.

He emphasized that the protest has dented the image of the state before the outside world hence the reason to calm them down just as he tasked them to remain good ambassadors of the state.

The statement said the 5th Assembly passed a resolution granting the request of the then governor, Al-Makura for the sales of the property having been informed that the building was a shadow of itself with decay setting in, even as the House was informed the facility had no occupant.

The statement quoted the president of Nasarawa State Development Association, Lagos chapter, Alhaji Musa Ikushigya to have appreciated the lawmakers for the visit, saying that it had given them hope and relief.