The Nasarawa State Secretary to the Government, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani, is currently undergoing intense scrutiny by members of the State House of Assembly over his alleged role in the disbursement of N1billion for the renovation of public schools.
The money was alleged to have been signed and released for the renovation of public schools in the state when the SSG was the Commission for Education two years ago.
It would be recalled the SSG appeared before the lawmakers last week Thursday and narrowly escaped being suspended of his inability to defend the allegation raised against him.
Prior to his appointment as SSG, Ahmed Tijani, was the Commissioner of Education in 2018, the year the said sum was alleged to have been released and utilised.
Responding to questions from the lawmakers, Tijani admitted the receipt of the said amount, but however, explained that the money was disbursed to political facilitators in the state.
In his second appearance before a House Committee mandated to investigate the allegation, the SSG in a simple submission said that he was ready to bear the blame if at the end of the investigation he is found guilty.
However, a group led by its chairman, Danjuma Aminu, has thrown its weight behind the ongoing probe of the N1billion contract scam allegedly perpetuated by the SSG.
While addressing journalists, Aminu urged the state governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, to suspend the embattled SSG from office to pave way for proper investigation of the allegation.
“He (SSG) should be suspended from office pending the outcome of the investigative committee report set up by the House of Assembly,” he stressed
The group however threatened to mobilise members on a peaceful protest if the SSG was not suspended from office in the next 24 hours.
On the contrary, however, the National Youth Council, Nasarawa State Council, under the leadership of Comrade Idris Ojoko, at a Press Briefing said that it is the only authentic body in charge of managing the affairs of youth in the state.
According to him: ” We are, therefore, calling on relevant security agencies in the state to restrained any group of youth trying to cause security bridge in the state.
“At this stage, we find the SSG, Alhaji Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, who is being alleged, as innocent until the committee proved otherwise and as such no group of persons should call him with defamatory names whatsoever.”
Similarly, United Youths for Progressive, Nasarawa State, said it is on record that Tijani Ahmed had served as Commissioner for Education in the immediate past administration and that the Ministry of Education received the sum only for renovations of 195 secondary schools across the state not 208 as being speculated.
The group said: “Having received the said sum,Tijani the then Commissioner and embattled SSG disbursed 30% of the money totaling N3million to facilitators as mobilization, work started in earnest in the proposed schools and is subject to verification.
“The question now is, why the call for Tijani’s head?”
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