N1. 2 Billion Fraud: Tinubu Suspends Rural Electrification Agency’s Managing Director, Other Three Executive Directors

President Bola Tinubu has effected sweeping changes in Rural Electrification Agency (REA) with the immediate suspension of its Managing Director/CEO along with three other Executive Directors.

A statement by the presidency attributed the suspension and subsequent appointment of replacements to “new findings unearthed during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA)”.

They were indefinitely suspended ” over “fraudulent mis-expenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years”, the statement further revealed.

According to the statement by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, President Bola Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension of the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, alongside three Executive Directors of the Agency, from office: Olaniyi Alaba Netufo — Executive Director, Corporate Services;  Barka Sajou — Executive Director, Technical Services
and Sa’adatu Balgore — Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF)

Furthermore, President Tinubu has ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the aforementioned officials in a fraudulent misexpenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.

The statement also stated that by the directive of the President, the following qualified Nigerians are appointed to serve in the new management team of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in acting capacity with immediate effect.

These include Abba Abubakar Aliyu — Managing Director/CEO; Ayoade Gboyega — Executive Director, Corporate Services;  Umar Abdullahi Umar — Executive Director, Technical Services; Doris Uboh — Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF) and Olufemi Akinyelure — Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project

President Tinubu expressed hope that all appointees in his administration will uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties and reiterates his determination to elevate the yearnings of Nigerians for good governance and qualitative service delivery above the narrow interests of individuals who are entrusted to provide critical services to the Nigerian people.