Pandemonium as Speaker Orders the Arrest of Babangida

The Niger State House of Assembly, has on Monday, June 13, threatened to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe the financial activities of former Governor of the State, Babangida Aliyu.

The Probe became necessary in view of what the House described as the lukewarm approach of Governor Sani Bello, towards the probe.

The House insinuated that the incumbent Governor had been compromised on the matter.

The Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Honourable Ahmed Marafa, vowed that the House would institute its own probe committee, if the executive failed to do so.

Marafa, told journalists in Minna, that the last administration was reckless and fraudulent in piloting the affairs of the State, and that is why the present ‎administration found it extremely difficult to cope with the situation.

According to him, “over six months, the legislators passed a unanimous resolution that the past Government of former Governor, Babangida Aliyu, should be probed for looting the State treasury and I wonder why the executive is delaying the process.

“The House will continue to request from the executive, for the setting up of a commission of inquiry, and if at the end, the executive is not coming forth ‎with any thing, then we will launch our own probe”.

Marafa, said it was not that the executive had relegated its resolution to the background, stating that they have been engaging the executive over the matter, which had attracted a lot of public interest and will not be swept under the carpet.

He said, “when we met the governor over the matter, he appealed to us to exercise patience, as the two committees set up to review the financial and infrastructural activities of the past administration, were yet to conclude its assignment.

“Now that they have finished their work and submitted reports, we are watching what next the executive will do”.

The Speaker, however, said, that the House has the power of arrest, and will invoke such when the need arises, revealing that so far, he was aware some money have been recovered, and will wait a little to see how the situation unfolds itself, and if nothing happened, the House will have no option than to probe.

Marafa, applauded the legislature for performing above average and urged them to always remember that their responsibilities are to shoulder the people that elected them.