Pandora papers: Group backs NPA Managing Director, Bello-Koko for owning assets abroad as public officer

A Northern based group operating under the aegis of the Alliance for Progressive Professionals on Sunday reacted to calls for resignation of the acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Alhaji Mohammed Bell-Koko who was indicted in the Pandora paper investigations.

The Acting MD alledgedly owns assets in the tax havens which were not declared even as a public officer by an investigative online paper, the PREMIUM TIMES.

The revelation triggered calls for resignation of the NPA head, but the group said, Bello-Koko was being unnecessarily persecuted for political reasons, claiming that he didn’t commit any crime in seeking investments in a foreign land.

The group in a statement made available to journalism on Sunday insisted that the report was laced with mischief.

In their reaction, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) in a statement described another group, Unified Nigeria Youth Forum who have called for the resignation of the MD as faceless and jobless who might have been hired by disgruntled elements who don’t have the interest of the nation at heart.

NPA’s reaction followed a statement, signed by the Secretary-General of Unified Nigeria Youth Forum, Mallam Hamza Abdullahi, where they applauded the investigative journalists for leaking how privileged and well placed Nigeria invests in assets abroad to the detriment of Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Alliance for Progressive Professionals further called for caution, asking Nigerians not to generalize and conclude given that it was possible for public officers to undergo unnecessary media trials.

“From what we know, there is nothing wrong with investing in a tax haven because of low tax rates, and according to international laws registering a trust or a shell company is not a crime on its own.

“What must be established is the source of funds and whether they can be linked to questionable or politically exposed persons.”

In the specific case of Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko, the group stated thus:

“We have examined the allegations against the NPA boss, and it is clear that no case of criminality has been established against him yet. Like many business people, he invested in a low tax jurisdiction and did not break any law in the process.

“The funds he invested were not proceeds of crime and cannot be linked to any illicit sources. He did not hide his identity from anyone ab-initio. He could have used proxies, but he did not.

“He reportedly provided evidence of his investments to relevant authorities upon his appointment as contained in his asset declaration documents. The ongoing media persecution is unnecessary and unjustifiable.”