Deji petitions EFCC to investigate Ex-NIMASA boss

Human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate alleged mismanagement involving the former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

In a petition seen by our reporter, Adeyanju accused the former NIMASA DG of mismanaging funds allocated for the construction of a Senate Building at the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Deltan State.

The petition alleged that funds disbursed for the project were misappropriated, hence the Senate Building project was uncompleted.

The activist called on the anti-corruption agency to probe both the former NIMASA boss and an unnamed contractor who allegedly received the funds but failed to deliver on the contract

The petition reads in parts, “We write as concerned Nigerians to petition Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the former director general of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), as well as an unknown contractor regarding the mismanagement of the senate building project at the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.

“Sometime ago, Dr. Jamoh awarded a contract and consequently disbursed funds to an unknown contractor for the construction of the senate building at the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Delta State.

“Despite receiving the necessary funds and resources, the contractor to whom the contract was awarded to, failed to execute the project, leading to the non-execution of the construction.

“Needless to state that Dr. Jamoh, as the of NIMASA, bears responsibility for the mismanagement of this project. The failure of the contractor to carry out its duties without appropriate sanctions from Dr. Jamoh raises serious concerns about the proper administration of public funds and the execution of government projects under his leadership.

“It is in light of the foregoing that we kindly urge you to use your good Office to cause an investigation into the complaint laid out in this petition, with a view of bringing the perpetrators to book,” he said.

In 2021, the institution was embroiled in a scandal involving N87bn alleged fraudulent contracts. NIMASA was accused of paying for multiple projects, including the Senate Building, which were never completed.

This prompted the Auditor-General of the Federation to recommend a thorough investigation by the EFCC.