How SOKAPU misappropriated N120m donated to IDPs by Wike – Investigation
Some journalists of Southern Kaduna extraction have accused the immediate past leadership of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) of diverting the sun of 120 million donated by the Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike to Internal Displaced Persons in the area.
Wike had donated the sum of N200 million to communities that were ravaged by incessant attacks by herdsmen in Kaduna state. Out of it Southern Kaduna IDPs got N120 million while their northern counterparts got N80 million.
Investigations by the journalists revealed that the Jonathan Asake-led SOKAPU, against the wish of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), bought and shared them relief materials instead of what they opted for: building materials, farming inputs, and start-up grants for petty businesses.
Documents sighted by Blueprint revealed that the concerned Journalists having toured the 7 local governments that were severely affected by recurring attacks, interfaced and had interviews with some of the coordinators of some of the IDPs, it became evident that the items distributed by SOKAPU were not commensurate with the N60 Million expended by the previous management of SOKAPU.
When the coordinators of the IDPs were quizzed about the N120m donation by Wike, they didn’t hide their grievances while also condemning what they termed ‘misappropriation’ of the said funds.
The Journalist stated that, “Part of our findings and in the principle of balancing report, we interviewed Barr. Dio Maisamari, the Acting SOKAPU President. He said about half of the N120 million was expended by the outgoing president, Jonathan Asake. That is, about N60 million was purportedly expended on the purchase of Rice, Beans, Gari, Maize, Macaroni, Spaghetti, Sugar, Salt, Indomie noodles, Maggi, Soap, Vaseline, Vegetable Oil, Pampers, Sanitary Wares, and transportation. However, the puzzle lies in the number of IDPs, the total number of displaced persons in the camps, and the number of items distributed to these IDPs.”
Some of the people that the Journalists spoke with include; Mr. Raphael Joshua, National Publicity Secretary (P.R.O), Chawai Development Association (CDA), who is also the coordinator of all the communities affected by banditry in Kauru LG, the items delivered to IDPs in Kauru by SOKAPU were as follows: Rice 25kg (69 bags), Beans 15 bags, Gari 15 bags, Maize 9 bags, Macaroni 15 Cartons and Spaghetti 15 cartons.
Others include Sugar 5 bags, Salt 6 bags, Indomie 24 cartons, Maggi 6 Cartons, Soap 9 Cartons, Vaseline 9 Cartons, Vegetable Oil 3 Cartons, Pampers 30 role and Sanitary wares 15 rolls.
Also speaking with the Journalists, Pastor Gideon Mutum of the Governors’ Assembly in Kafanchan, Coordinator of Nehemiah IDP Mobilisation Camp in Kafanchan, Jema’a LG, said he has about 1560 persons in his IDP camp who are victims of attacks from Zango-Kataf, Kaura, and a few of them from Kauru LGAs.
When asked if he received any item from SOKAPU as part of Wike’s N120m assistance, he replied “no.”
He went further to say that he was called that he should come to Kagoro and when in Kagoro, he realized that it was relief materials meant for Zango-kataf, Kauru, and Kaura LGAs respectively, while his own LG of Jema’a was excluded.
He immediately asked why he was invited since IDP Camps from his LGA weren’t captured among those to receive the items brought, and SOKAPU replied that they could include his IDP Camp, and they promised to include his IDP when they come next time.
