HOW was the money spent? Was it unduly shared among certain individuals? If so, who are those individuals?
These are some of the questions the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is asking as some aggrieved ex-residents stormed the Commission entertaining complaints on the matter.
Some victims of the demolition of Gosa village, Abuja have also been asking those questions since a High Court awarded them N100m compensation after their community was pulled down.
Rather than providing relief for all concerned, the sharing of the N100m has generated controversy.
The court had awarded the judgment against the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for demolishing the houses of the non-indigenes residing in Gosa village along Airport Road, in 2009.
Since the judgment, there have been allegations and counter-allegations between the persons handling the sharing and the aggrieved non-indigenes.
The aggrieved members, who claimed they were not given any money from the compensation sum, took the case to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), threatening to exploit all legal options available to them in order to get justice.
They said executive committee they appointed in 2009 to lead the group has abandoned them and diverted a substantial sum of the compensation money for their selfish and financial gains to the detriment of some members.
Leading the aggrieved members to NHRC, Mr. Michael Anene said: “My three-bedroom flat bungalow was demolished and I was only paid N30,000 while so many residents having lesser number of rooms got as much as N1.5 million and above.”
“Many of us here have not even been paid a kobo while there are cases of some residents who were not affected by the demolition getting as much as N1.5 million each.”
“We were also told that N25 million out of the money was given to FCTA officials. This is a great injustice. We took part in all the contributions to hire the barrister that won the case and now the barrister, whose account the N100 million was paid into, is now conniving with the executives to cheat us. We got information that N40 million is still remaining in his bank account.”
“Let them come out and show to the whole world how the N100 million they got from the government was shared. It is only then that we will know if they paid money to ghosts. We will not rest until we get justice. All of them are now cruising around with the latest ‘Sienna’ space bus. They have also diverted our money into their various businesses. We are going to exploit all available legal actions on this matter until we get justice and these people are brought to book.”
But the Secretary of the exco that shared the money, Prince Ajah Felix maintained that many of the aggrieved members opted out of the group when the first court case was lost at High Court in Lugbe in 2009.
He said: “When we had this problem, we went to court through our lawyer. When we were contributing money, I know all of them. They are members of Gosa Residents Association. That is the name that we went to court with. So when we went to court, we lost the case at Lugbe High Court on the 25th of May, 2009.”
“Then we went back and called for meeting on the 27th, and many people were aggrieved that we lost the case. Very few people came. We then decided that since we lost the case, we were not going to fold our hands, but try again.”
“We approached our lawyer and told him we wanted to go further. Then on the 29th of May, we agreed to go to court with another name, Gosa Non-Indigenous Group. We were about eight that started it. Later on, other persons joined us. These people are among the people that refused to join the new group. When we got judgment, they now resurfaced.”
Confirming the position of the Secretary on the matter, the lawyer that won the N100 million compensation, Barrister Godwin Ogboji, said: “The first time we went to court, the case was lost. It was the second case that was won and the compensation awarded. But many of those non-indigenes who took part in the first case lost interest and did not take part in the second case.”
But an official of NHRC mediating in the matter, who does not want her name in print, was angry that the Secretary of the exco, Prince Ajah came to the meeting without any document or record to show how members have contributed to the course of the group.
She said the procedure she wanted to adopt is to first establish those who are really entitled to the money before finding out the criteria used in sharing it.
She said: “The aggrieved party said they were members of the group and their houses were also damaged and that they don’t understand the criteria for sharing the money as some people who took part in the sharing of the money were not affected by the demolition exercise.”
“First of all, we want to know those who are entitled to that money, then the criteria used for the sharing. We need to see the records of payment that will show the payments made by members because you cannot say somebody who has been contributing money opted out of the group. It cannot continue to be argument, argument and hearsay, we need records.”
She continued, pointing at the Secretary: “The reason why we said a member of the executive should come is because we wanted documents and record so that we can be talking with facts. So coming here without any document is not right. You think we are playing here. Whatever we are saying now is sentiments. We want to see the records for us to proceed.”
Ordering for the details of the home and office addresses of the Secretary to be obtained by her staff, she said: “We have compelling powers, we can arrest, and we have other powers we can exercise at any time. I demand that you give me copies of these transactions by 22nd of August 2013, whether your chairman is in Sokoto or Maiduguri.”
She also faulted the Secretary’s remark that the first case was taking to court by Gosa Residents Association and not by Gosa Non-Indigenous Legitimate Landlords.
She maintained that the documents submitted to her earlier by the lawyer who won the judgment showed that the name of the first group that went to court was representing Gosa Non-Indigenous Legitimate Landlords and not the Gosa Residents Association being claimed by the exco that shared the money.
“So your story is not true.” She stated concerning the change of name, while holding out the document.
Another NHRC staff queried: “If they say these people opted out, how come some of them were paid some money when they got the judgment sum? Some were given N30,000 compensation.”
Reacting to the fears by some aggrieved members that the Secretary to the exco that shared the money may tamper with the documents in his possession before producing it at the NHRC, the lawyer of the aggrieved members, Barrister Emmanuel Okpanku said: “It is important for us to warn ourselves here that forgery is a crime. When you forge documents, you will go to Kuje prison.”
While the two sides have been directed to appear for another meeting on the 22nd of this month, it is hoped that everybody will get justice and fairness at the end of the day.
Since those seeking to benefit from equity must come with clean hands, it is very paramount for the true financial members of the group to be established because one cannot reap where he did not sow.
Efforts should not only be made to obtain the detailed records of the group including financial transactions and minutes of meetings right from inception, whether as Gosa Residents Association or Gosa Non-Indigenous Legitimate Landlords, the documents and records should be properly scrutinized for forgery.
The allegation that the Secretary of the group was suspended for about a year by the exco for altering members’ money contribution lists for financial gains in the past should also be thoroughly looked into to ensure that what is being brought to the table is the true and correct lists of payments by members.
This case should be made to show to Nigerians, who are yet to know, that fighting corruption is not only with government officials, but also the ordinary man on the street.
As the exco was said to have settled about 100 ex-residents with the compensation money, investigations into this must go beyond paper work alone by arranging a physical roll call where the aggrieved members will be present to assist in identifying ‘ghost’, ‘hired’ and ‘ineligible’ beneficiaries.
Anyone found culpable, either in forgery of documents or diversion and misappropriation of any part of the N100 million compensation awarded by the court should be prosecuted and made to face the full wrath of the law.
