By Ahmed Ajikobi
A leader of Oja-Oba, Maryam Elefun has been dragged before the Revenue Court in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital by the Iyaloja-General of Kwara State, Alhaja Nike Lambe over allegation of 100 million naira scam.
Elefun, who is the assistant Iyaloja of Oja Oba had accused Lambe of embezzling the fund allegedly meant for market women empowerment in the state.
Speaking with our reporter in a telephone chat, last night, the Iyaloja-General said the court will hear the case between the duo today (Monday) at the Revenue Court, GRA, Ilorin.
Lambe sued the assistant Iyaloja of Oja Oba for defamation of character and speculating false information about her in the media and social media.
Few weeks ago, some online medium reported that, Lambe, who is the wife of Alh. Abdulkareem Lambe, the Chairman of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB), embezzled the huge sum of money meant for empowerment of market women in the state.
The Iyaloja-General was said to have diverted the N100m allegedly received from the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki ahead of the general elections.
Speaking on behalf of concerned market men and women, Alhaja Elefun said Mrs Lambe was imposed on them by the outgoing administration with the influence of her husband who is a politician and former commissioner to exert influence and ensure political control of the market people.
According to the report, Elefun said, lambe was fired because of series of allegations spinning from gross misappropriation of N100 million and another N5million released for empowerment of market women, intimidation and frustration of market women suspected to be opposition to the incumbent government and leadership ineptitude among others.
Reacting to the allegations, the Iyaloja-General, had informed National Pilot that the sum of N100m disbursed to traders in the state was released through the Chief Executive Officer of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise(MSME) Bureau, Mr Segun Soewu.
According to her, the money was promised by the state government about four years ago.
“Following the pressure from us on the government to fulfill its promise, the money was later released. The money was not given to Iyaloja-General and was not given to any of my subordinates.
“Government paid the money into the account of the MSME Bureau under the control of Segun Soewu. Any trader who had his or her form approved will go to the bank to collect his or her money. The money belonged to the 176 markets in all the 16 local governments in the state.”
According to her, all the leaders of the various markets and three members each across the 16 local governments collected the money.
Lambe stressed that, the beneficiaries collected their money through different community banks available in their local governments.
