UPDATE: Senate gives NIMASA 48 hours to produce documents of $5m payment to law firm

Adeleye Kunle

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts (SPAC) has given a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to present to it documents authorising the payment of $5 million to a law firm for a service not rendered.

The committee, chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (Edo South), had invited the management of the agency to explain why the $5 million was paid for a service not rendered.

At the resumption of the committee meeting on the issue on Tuesday, August 9, the representative of the agency, Olamide Olusanya, told the committee that the matter was in court.

However, the committee rejected the submission and asked the agency to present documents at its disposal on the payment of legal fees to the law firm.

The official of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) told the lawmakers that the agency was directed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation to pay $5 million for the legal fees.

Urhoghide, however, asked the representative of the agency to present any letter mandating it to pay $5 million for legal fees.

The representative of the agency’s managing director, while responding to whether the Presidency directed the agency to pay the legal fees, said there was no such letter, adding that they only had a letter from the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Buhari on administration authorising the payment.

Urhoghide, therefore, ordered the agency to present documents relating to the payment by Thursday, August 11, before the committee would take a final decision on the matter.

He said, “We need the details of the payment, you go back to your archives and bring it out.

“Also, let us know the transaction between you and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) before you paid the money.”

Another member of the committee, Senator Abdullahi Danbaba, said there was no basis for making that payment, adding that the money should be recovered from the law firm.

Recall that the committee had invited Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) up to three times for an explanation for the payment of $5 million as a professional fee and details of the $9.3 billion loss by the federal government, however, the agency had declined the invitations, according to The Punch.

Urhoghide then ordered that an arrest warrant be issued on the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) boss, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, at the last panel sitting.