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From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Suspended chairmen invited to appear before the Benue State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee has failed to appear.
The committee is investigating the record of income and expenditure of the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
Recall that the State Assembly ad-hoc committee had, last week, invited the suspended council chairmen to appear before it with all records of account from June 2022 to date.
Three suspended council chairmen of Guma, Michael Uba, Katsina Ala, Alfred Atera and Gboko, Isaac Mtom, were expected to appear before the ad-hoc committee on Monday but failed to do so.
It was gathered that only the council treasurers of the three local government areas appeared and were grilled by the committee members for hours.
It was also gathered that the committee received financial documents from the treasurers of the councils while they separately took turn to explain the incomes and expenditures of their respective council from June, 2022 to June 2023.
Treasurer for Guma LGA, Charles Iordye told newsmen that he was asked to submit all the bank statements and financial records of his council to the committee.
Chairman of the Adhoc Committee , Peter Ipusu said members had commenced its investigation in earnest and have provided the suspended chairmen with an avenue to clarify the financial irregularities within the period under review.
Ipusu said the three man adhoc committee waited for several hours for the three council chairmen on Monday but they did not turn up as scheduled.
Another three suspended council chairmen of Gwer West, Ohimini and Ushongo and their treasurers are billed to appear before it on Wednesday but as at the time of filing this report, the committee had not seen them.
Meanwhile, four executive council members of the state chapter of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, (ALGON), have been quizzed by Director of State Security Service.
Our correspondent gathered that the exco members of ALGON in the state were invited for questioning on Monday.
The Security Adviser to Guma local government, Christopher Waku who confirmed the invitation and subsequent detention of four of the exco members of the state ALGON said that the suspended chairman of his local government was invited and detained since Monday.
Waku said, “It is true that DSS invited some exco members of ALGON in the state but they were later detained.”
“I’m aware of four of them (suspended council chairmen) but I know that my chairman and that of Ushongo were among.”
He however said that as of 1:30pm on Tuesday the arrested chairmen were still in the custody of DSS.
“As of 1:30 pm today, I put a call through but they have not been released but the moment they are released I will let you know”, Waku said.
As at the time of filing this report, our correspondent could not reach any DSS official for comments.
