FRAUD: UNIOSUN top officials quizzed by EFCC over N.5billion Contract Padding, others

The Ibadan zonal office of the anti-graft agency, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday began the interogation
of the top officials of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo
over an alleged N.5billon fraud in the construction of the University
Library, particularly, in Osogbo main campus of the institution and
other projects.

Investigation revealed on Wednesday to the news medium that the
officials were invited for questioning over the fraud in respect of an
Open Petition Letter dated Thursday 15th September, 2016 forwarded to
the EFCC’s Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magun in Abuja, by the civil group
under the aegis of Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of
Osun State (CSCEOS) which was signed by its Chairman, Comrade
Adeniyi,Alimi Sulaiman, calling for credible and through investigation
of the alleged officials in the contract sums.

The University officials invited for interrogation were; former Acting
Vice-chancellor, Professor Jelili Alamu, Acting Registrar, Mr. Bayo
Shittu, Acting Bursar, Mr. Samson Adebolu Adegbite and University
Director of Works, Mr. Samson Ade Adepoju, while former University
Registrar and Secretary to the University Governing Council, Dr. J.O.
Faniran and former Bursar, Alhaji Fatai Lasisi were invited for
clarifications respectively.

The group alleged in the petition that the said contract projects were
inflated geometrically with 300 Percent by the officials and it wanted
the anti-graft body to ensure the returning of the all padded funds
in the contract sum that have been earlier diverted into the private
pockets of few individuals, including; the State governor, Mr. Rauf
Aregbesola and host of others, to be refunded to the government purse
with the evidence of proof before prosecution.

The Petition Letter reads in part; “As a stakeholder in the progress
and development of Nigeria Projects, especially, in the area of waging
serious war against the menace of corruption which has been the canker
worm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society which impeded
the progress of our development.

“After our thorough private investigation into the subject matter and
securing of the necessary relating documents from the appropriate
quarters, we are compelled to write this Petition Letter to the
authority of your anti-graft agency in line with Sections 15
sub-section(5) and 24 sub-section (1e) of the 1999 Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria(FRN) as amended and Freedom of Information
Act 2011 and National Human Rights Commission act 2010 (amendment)
where Freedom of Speech and expression are highlighted.

“We wish to inform your good office of our discovery of another
mindboggling corrupt practice by the Osun State government which they
fraudulently inflate the contract sum of the Construction of Osogbo
and Okuku Campuses’ Library and other related projects in Osun State
University (UNIOSUN) which sum of N.5 billion public funds were
diverted and siphoned by the State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji
Aregbesola, his Deputy, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, Secretary to
the State Government (SSG),Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, Osun State
Tenders Board Secretaries, Messers Kunle Akionla and Olawumi,O.T.,the
then Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdul-Jelili
Alamu, Acting Registrar, Mr. Bayo Shittu, Acting Bursar, Mr. Samson
Adebolu Adegbite and University Director of Works, Mr. Samson Ade
Adepoju.

“Others that are supposed to be invited for interrogation and
clarification on this financial impropriety of public funds meant for
University developmental project are; Former Acting Vice-Chancellors,
Professor Bashir Okesina and Professor Ganiyu O. Olatunde
respectively, former University Registrar and Secretary to the
University Governing Council, Dr. J.O. Faniran, former Bursar, Alhaji
Fatai Lasisi, former University Acting Director of Works, Builder
Odetoyinbo Abiodun, Tender Board Secretaries, Olawuni O.T. and Kunle
Akiola respectively and Permanent Secretary, office of the SSG, Mr.
Demola Akinyemi.

“Also, the Chief Executive Officer of De-Kingly Nigeria Limited, Mr.
Ademola Olapade and Executive Chairman, Beton Bau Nigeria Limited,
Architect Dunni Opayemi should be invited by your anti-graft agency
because they are the main actors in the execution of the project in
question”.

The letter further reads; “Our investigation revealed that Messers De
Kingly Nig. Ltd, Messers Folly B Production and Messers Benton Bau
Nig. Ltd bid for the construction of the Osogbo Main Campus
construction of Library building which was valued by the Works and
Physical Planning (WPP) department of the University at Three Hundred
and Forty Four Million, Nine Hundred and seventy Eight Thousand, Seven
Hundred and Forty-Six Naira, Sixty kobo (N344, 978, 746.60).

“But Mr. Rauf Aregbesola and his co-travelers at the State Tender
Board through its decision from the State Executive Council (SEC)
Meeting dated September 4th, 2013 inflated the cost to the tune of
Five Hundred and Forty-One Million, Nineteen Thousand, Five Hundred
and Seventy-Three Naira,Forty-Four kobo (N541, 019, 573.44k).

“To our dismay, the Beton Bau Nigeria Limited which won the bid for
the Construction of the UNIOSUN Main Library Building now
re-contracted the same building construction to De-Kingly Nig.Limited,
then Co-bidder at the rate of One Hundred and Eighty Million,
Seventy-Three Thousand, six Hundred and Forty-Four Naira, sixty-six
kobo only (N180,073,644. 66) on 18th of November, 2013, where we
discovered the sum of Three Hundred and Sixty-One Million Naira
(N361million) were padded to the construction of the Library Building
by the State government under Aregbesola’s watch”.

Meanwhile, the CSCEOS declared that the group would not fold its arms
and open its eyes by allowing Aregbesola and his cronies to be
siphoning the meager resources of Osun people under the guise of
putting infrastructure in place in the State and subject the people of
the State to be dying of hunger, misery and abject poverty, adding
that this has been the trade mark of Aregbesola’s government since its
inception in November 27th,2010 through the Court of Appeal verdict
delivered by Justice Clara Ogunbiyi.

It therefore disclosed that no amount of intimidation from Aregbesola
and his co-travelers could stop the group from its quest for honesty
and transparent administration in the State, stressing that the funds
meant for capital projects in the institution, was tax payers money
which would not be allowed ?to end up in the pocket of private
influential individuals in the State.