News
Newly appointed NBC DG clears air on allegation he keep N10 billion DSO fund in private account
The newly appointed Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, on Tuesday debunked media reports alleging that N10 billion belonging to the Commission for the execution of the Federal Government’s Digital Switch Over (DSO)was being housed in a private account.
Speaking with news men in Abuja on the the allegation, the NBC boss also refuted reports of alleged rift between the Commission and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, describing it as Fake news which stakeholders in the Media Industry were battling against.
According to him, “the NBC never refused any instruction from the Minister, the Commission is just a Parastal under the Ministry, there’s a good working relationship between the Commission and the Ministry, there’s no way we will disobey instructions from the parent Ministry if there is one.”
The DG boss who insisted that there was no time the Minister gave him instruction to apply for the release of the N10bn as being alleged in the fake report challenged the faceless authors to come out with their facts to contradict his claims.
He explained that the N10 billion reported in the media was part of the money for the payment of some of NBC’s contractors involved in the issue of the Digital Switch Over (DSO).
He disclosed that half of the money was paid to the contractors, saying that the money was supposed to be sent to the NBC, but following the directive of the Minister of Information and Culture, the money was sent to the ministry because there was no substantive Director-General in the NBC at the time the money was released.
According to him, “The money was not housed in any private account. Not to my knowledge actually because I can’t imagine somebody of the calibre of a minister that can send Government’s money to a personal account.
“And it is not something that he can do alone. The money was not from the ministry. The money was from the Ministry of Finance. So, I doubt very much if the Ministry of Finance will agree to send that money to any private account. So, really, not to my knowledge and I don’t think it is possible.”
On the allegation that the money had yielded over N1 billion interest, Ilelah who denied knowledge about the development, stated that it was for that reason that the government is fighting fake news and people sitting down just to concoct something based on their imagination.
“You put money in Government’s account and if there is interest from this money, you can’t even take the money to use it personally I think,
“I am not an accountant and I have not been in a Government Ministry. But I think common sense will not agree with this perception. Deposit Government’s money in your private account and then use the interest for your personal use? I don’t think it is possible.”
The NBC boss also debunked the reported raid of the Commission by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), saying that officials of the ICPC only visited the NBC for routine checks.
He explained that the officials of the anti graft Agency came politely as professional officers and submitted a letter requesting to allow them to perform their duty which was expressly approved since there was nothing to hide.
According to him, it was not a raid. Only two people came. They asked for some few things which we provided them expressly. They are Government’s agency and we are also Government’s agency. We cannot stop them from doing their work, so, we allowed them to do whatever they want.
“It is not that they searched and they took away heap of files as alleged,,no, no. They requested for some documents which the commission gladly gave them, That is all, all these are fake news”
The Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters(Senate), Sen. Basheer Lado, CON, has felicitated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on his 73rd Birthday Anniversary.
Lado in a congratulatory message on Friday in Abuja, described the President as a selfless leader and one who had sacrificed so much for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.
He said, “today, we celebrate not just the birth of a man, but the rise of a legacy.
“We celebrate not just the years in your life, but the life in your years.
“We celebrate not just the path you’ve walked, but the footprints you’ve left behind.”
The Special Adviser said the President’s life was a testament to the power of courage, resilience, and faith in the promise of the Nigerian nation.
He commended the ‘President’s determination as well as his relentless effort in ensuring adequate security, economic growth and political stability in the country.
According to Him, President Tinubu’s doggedness and passion for good governance has set Nigeria on a high pedestal in the comity of nations.
“You dreamed when others doubted, you sacrificed when others conformed, and you led when others retreated.
“On this special day, I proudly join millions across Nigeria and the world to salute your strength and celebrate your service,”he said.
Lado prayed for divine wisdom as the President continued to steer the ship of the nation toward renewed hope and greatness.
He further prayed that the glory of the President’s latter years would surpass his achievements in the past.
The Nigerian Council of Legal Education, the academic institute training lawyers before mobilizing for Call to the Bar said, the 2024 Bar Part results would be release any time soon.
The assurance came amid tension by the students who wrote the examination in November and are awaiting release of the results to determine if they have cleared or have to resit papers.
In a memo released and signed by the School management on Friday 28th March, 2025, the attention of candidates and the public was drawn to the fact that the Council has been working on the results and has progressed into a phase where the results will be released soon.
Part of the memo sighted by CAPITAL POST in Abuja said: Candidates who wrote the November 2024 Bar Final Examinations and the general public are hereby notified that the conventional processes leading to the publication of the results after approval by the Council of Legal Education are almost concluded.
“Candidates and the general public are assured that the results will be released shortly.
“The date for the Call to the Bar will be announced as soon as it is approved by the honourable Body of Benchers”, it concluded.
The Northern Senators Forum has expressed its sadness over the lynching of travelers in Uromi, Edo State, saying that they were taken aback over the gruesome killing of innocent Nigerians because of the zone where the victims came from.
The Forum was reacting to the attack that led to death of individuals on 27th March, 2025 while travelling to the Northern part of the country after they were tragically stereotyped as Fulani kidnappers and brutally murdered in a despicable manner.
The Forum in a statement issued by its Chairman, Abdulaziz Yar’adua strongly condemn the killing and described it as a heinous act which must be investigated with the culprits brought to book.
It read: “We strongly condemn this heinous act, which is a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims. We urge the Edo State Government to take immediate action to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of this gruesome murder.
“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing the police and other security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, with a view to arresting the culprits.
“This swift action demonstrates the government’s commitment to upholding justice and protecting the rights of all citizens.
“As stated in Section 41 of the Nigerian Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom of movement and residence throughout the country. No citizen can be expelled from or refused entry into Nigeria. We must uphold these fundamental principles and ensure that all citizens are treated with dignity and respect.
“We call on the Edo State Government, the security agencies, and all stakeholders to work together to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. We must promote a culture of tolerance, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.”
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