Malami sets up panel on alleged FG assets’ sale by syndicate

The Federal Government has ordered investigation into alleged sales of recovered properties by some government officials.

The PUNCH has reported exclusively on Monday that a syndicate in the Federal Ministry of Justice has been selling off forfeited and recovered assets belonging to the Federal Government.

According to the report, the syndicate, comprising top justice ministry officials and political aides to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has allegedly been disposing off some properties mostly in Abuja and Lagos, and pocketing the proceeds.

But Malami’s Special Assistant (Media and Public Relations), Dr. Umar Gwandu, in a statement on Tuesday said the minister did not order sales of the properties.

He said Malami has therefore ordered a probe.

Gwandu said, “The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, (SAN) did not approve and was not aware of and did not order the sale of any of such properties.

“The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has set up of a five-member committee to investigate and verify the authenticity of the media report which allegedly claims that the syndicate from the Federal Ministry of Justice sells Federal Government’s recovered properties without the knowledge of the office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.”

Gwandu said the composition of the committee was made known in a circular signed by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, U. E. Mohammed, dated November 29, 2021 and titled, ‘The constitution of a committee to investigate the alleged sale of Federal Government of Nigeria’s Property by syndicate in the Ministry.’

The statement said the committee chaired by the Director Public Prosecution of the Federation was inaugurated on Tuesday, and was saddled with the responsibility of unveiling the factuality and accuracy of the publication and recommend ways of handling the matter in accordance with the provisions of extant laws.

According to the circular, the committee is expected to complete the assignment within one week and submit the report to the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Malami, therefore, called on members of the public, especially those who interacted with the alleged syndicate or have information or possess any evidence to open up and provide information that could be helpful to the committee in discharging its responsibility.