Nigeria
Nasarawa State Assembly asks for calm and launches an investigation into the sale of the liaison office
The recent demonstration organised by residents of the state who live in Lagos over the purported sale of the Nasarawa liaison office by former governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has prompted a call for calm from the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
The House urged all parties to maintain composure and reassured its constituents that a comprehensive probe into the situation is ongoing.
A 9-person ad hoc committee led by legislator Larry Ven Bawa was also established by the Assembly to look into the alleged sale in further detail.
The committee’s primary objective is to learn all the relevant details regarding the sale and determine its legality and ramifications.
The committee chairman, Bawa, travelled to Lagos State with other lawmakers, and they went to the suspected sale site, a two-story building at plot 1234 Bishop Oluwole, Victoria Island.
To get a better grasp of the issue, the committee performed a thorough inspection of the building.
In response to a question, Bawa said, “We are here as directed by the Speaker, Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, based on our resolutions during the House proceedings to investigate the alleged sale of state government properties in Lagos and other states by the administration of former Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.”
“We also want to determine the true reason for the protest in Lagos, assess the structure, and comprehend the circumstances of our people, particularly those who have been detained.
“We will look into whether or not the building was actually sold, track down the purchaser, examine the transaction’s mechanics, and decide whether or not the proceeds were deposited into the state’s coffers.”
The Chairman told the indigenes to stop their protests and assured them that the State Assembly would look into the matter thoroughly to find out the truth about the purported transaction.
Musa Ikushigya, the president of the Nasarawa State Development Association in Lagos, expressed gratitude for the legislators’ visit and promised to provide full cooperation so that they could conduct a thorough investigation.