SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, (THEWILL) – Men from the Department of State Security (DSS) have sealed the secretariat of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation located in Room 16, White House, National Assembly Complex.
THEWILL gathered that staff and members of the committee, including Clerk of House Committee on Appropriation, Dr. Abel Ochigbo, were denied access to the office by security men who claimed to be acting based on orders from above.
Jibrin had alleged that he was fired by Dogara because he refused his bidding and that of Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun; Majority Whip Alhassan Doguwa; and Minority Whip Leo Ogor to pad the budget to the tune of N40b.
Jibrin also alleged that Dogara stormed the secretariat and removed computers and some other materials for the purpose of stalling investigation as he visited the DSS Headquarters on Friday to brief the agency about the budget padding scandal rocking the House.
Dogara however denied the allegation, saying it was actually Jibrin who attempted to pad the budget, hence his removal as committee chair wondering why Jubrin kept mute until his sack before making his allegations.
The new Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Mustapha Dawaki (APC, Kano), has however denied that the secretariat was sealed.
He said the alleged closure was false and therefore, should be disregarded because no member of staff of the committee was being harassed as reported.
“I write to confirm that the Committee Secretariat is intact and has not been threatened in anyway,” he wrote in a statement.
“All records are also intact and safe both hardware and software. In addition, our archival setup is properly kept and in order.
“Furthermore, no member of staff in the Secretariat of the committee has been subjected to any form of threat, intimidation or harassment from any quarter whatever.”
Story by David Oputah
