Police Pension Scam: Accused Bureaucrat Sings

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Kigo, the embattled Permanent Secretary at the Police Pension Fund under whose tenure the princely sum of N14.5 billion was pilfered from the Fund by public officials, has been singing to investigators about how he, alongside his conspirators, deliberately ignored safeguard mechanisms put in place by the Accountant General of the Federation to protect Government funds.

The Permanent Secretary told operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that under his tenure at the Police Pension office that they had no e-payment exemption approval but deliberately circumvented the process through the use of cheques for withdrawals with the active connivance of First Bank of Nigeria Plc where the Police Pension fund is domiciled.

He however stated that part of the loot was used for running the office as well as paying allowances and overtime to staff involved in retirees’ verification exercise.

In a statement dated 14th February, 2012, the 55 year old Permanent Secretary took responsibility for all the wrongs done under his tenure by officials serving under him.

“I wish to take responsibility for any wrong doing in my tenure. I wish to state that we had no e-payment exemption during my tenure. Payments from the Assistant Director of Accounts were sometimes made to me from cheque withdrawals in favour of Veronica.”

He further stated that these cash withdrawals was contrary to the extant financial regulations which required that e-payment was the only acceptable mode of payment from the Police Pension fund.

Investigators found documents pertaining to two building in upscale areas of the Abuja metropolis during a search conducted at the Perm Second’s house. One of the houses is located at Plot 35 Lake Chad Crescent in Maitama while the other is located at the elegantly built and furnished Patnasonic Estate in Wuse ll District.

Alhaji Kigo stated that the Maitama house was allocated to him by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, through the monetisation exercise between 2003 and 2004.

He also stated that he bought the Panasonic home at the sum of N42 million from a friend of his to whom he is still owing some money on the property.

Some of the documents found by investigators during the search conducted at the Permanent Secretary’s house also pointed to other landed properties at Gwarinpa and Apo Districts to which he explained that he acquired through a N48 million loan from Aso Savings and Loans Plc while he was serving at the Ministry of Finance between 2008 and 2009.

Kigo and 5 others who allegedly defrauded the Police Pension fund of N14.5 billion have been granted bail by an Abuja High Court.

By Nnamdi Felix / Abuja