By Beauty John, LAFIA
Nasarawa State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate arrest of the Media Aide to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Aliyu Ahmed Tijjani for alleging that the state government has given the lawmakers the sum of N11 billion as a palliative for their constituents to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was taken in an emergency setting by the assembly in Lafia recently.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Mohammed Omadefu, who raised the issue at the sitting said that “media aides to the SSG are circulating reports on social media that the state government has given members N11m each for palliative for their constituents due to COVID-19”.
“One Ja’afar M. Loko, Abahuraira Mohammed Mainasara, Umar A Abdullahi and Shuaibu Sani, are the main people circulating fake reports on social media that the governor gave us money for a palliative to our constituents”, he said.
” The reports on social media that the state government has given us money as a palliative to our constituents over COVID-19 is unfortunate and false”.
He added that “Such reports are capable of creating confusion, tension as well as inciting our constituents against us”.
The assembly members alleged that the SSG pioneered his media aides to spread fake news about them, inciting the public against them.
Recall that there is an ongoing investigation on the SSG for N1billion fraud by the Nasarawa state house of assembly. The alleged embezzlement of funds meant for the renovations of public schools in the state took place during his tenure as commissioner for education.
The speaker of Nasarawa State house of assembly, Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi declared that no amount of intimidations, mischiefs, insults will divert their attention from the ongoing investigation on the SSG.
“I urge you all to continue protecting the integrity of the House to remain focused on the investigation,” he said
Balarabe also called on the state government to come out and make a statement to clear the air on the purported fund”.
At the end of the sitting, the House mandated the Chairmen, House Committee on Security and Information to meet with the security agencies for the arrest of those involved in such acts for the prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.
