More trouble for Modibbo Kawu over alleged approval of 16 illegal radio licenses for self, others

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Embattled boss of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and former gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Is-haq Modibbo Kawu may be in for more trouble as report surfaced weekend about his exploits at the helms of the commission.

Kawu is reportedly being accused of illegally approving about 16 radio licences to self and cronies against the rules of the commission.

When contacted last night, the NBC boss, in a text message, requested that our reporter should forward his email address, stating that someone made similar inquiry and he would be willing to share his response with him.

He was however yet to do so at the time this paper went to bed.

According to the report, a civil rights movement under the aegis of Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG) said it has “made a new discovery of 16 illegal slots of radio licences approved by the NBC boss for himself and cabals in the Presidency.

The Chairman of CACOBAG, Alhaji Toyin Raheem, in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, said independent findings revealed that Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and his family were among the 10 beneficiaries of the radio licences recently doled out by NBC.

He demanded that the Federal Government should direct anti-graft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegation.

The development was said to have thrown the NBC into serious tension as staff and management discussed the issue in hushed tones.

It alleged that “While six slots were for his private company, Word, Sound and Vision Multimedia (WSV) Limited, another 10 were approved for companies which neither applied nor appeared on the list approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The organisation threatened that should the Federal Government and its anti-graft agencies fail to act by probing the allegations, it would “be left with no other option but to approach the court to seek an order of mandamus to compel them to do their duty as conferred on them by the laws of the land.”

Raheem was quoted by the report that, “We are again compelled to draw the attention of President Buhari and indeed the Nigerian public to another finding, which indicates that one of the 10 illegal radio licences doled out by the leadership of NBC is owned by the family of Alhaji Babagana Kingibe.

“The 10 companies that did not apply or bided for any radio licence were smuggled into a list already approved by President Buhari.

“Our findings at relevant quarters show that one of the beneficiaries of the doctored licence list is Oracle Exclusive Services and Consult Ltd, with its registered address as 20 Monrovia Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

“Further investigations also revealed that the company has only two directors/shareholders, who are both children of Mr Kingibe, namely; Abdulkabir Kingibe and Zara Aminu Deribe, who both gave the same address as 59 Nelson Mandela Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja.

“This is obviously another confirmation of one of the ways the deadly cabal around President Buhari operates by circumventing due process and manipulating his approvals for personal benefits.

“We believe this is totally unacceptable in a country governed by rules and regulations. This is an abuse of office and a display of cheer greed.”

The CSO urged Buhari and the anti-graft agencies that had been petitioned on this matter to move swiftly and probe its allegation against NBC and its leadership.

“We reiterate our earlier call on President Buhari to immediately direct the EFCC and ICPC to launch an investigation into this embarrassing development to protect the integrity of the administration, which professes zero tolerance for corruption as one of its cardinal pillars. We equally assure the public of our commitment to expose corruption anywhere we find any”, Raheem stated.

Modibbo is presently in court facing N2.5bn fraud allegation leveled against him after the Federal Government sequel to an investigation by the ICPC.

Also charged with Modibbo are; Pinnacle Communications Limited; its founder, Lucky Omonuwa; and its Managing Director, Dipo Onifade.

The ICPC has also hinted on possible arraignment of former Minister from Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed whose ministry supervises the NBC.