Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
June 5, 2015 – Not less than 30 civil servants are currently under interrogation by police authorities at Alausa Police Station for breaking into accounts department in the Ministry of Justice and carting away millions of Naira.
The robbers, we gathered gained access into the department through the ceiling while security men including policemen were on duty and carted away large sum of money that was meant for the payment of allowances for non-employees of the Lagos State Government who assist the state in rendering free invaluable services.
The rubbers we gathered gained access to the department in the night while workers were away, breakthrough the ceiling before carting away the money.
Dependable sources in Alausa are blaming the incident on an insider who would have volunteered information about the availability of funds just weeks after ministry workers were groaning over non-availability of funds in the ministry.
Confirming the incident, Solicitor General of Lagos State and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lawal Pedro said the incident happened over night but that staff of the department are currently being quizzed at Alausa Police Station.
He said the police will do the sifting of the affected suspect through elimination to fish out the insider who volunteered the information about availability of funds and the culprits.
“Why did the burgling not take place weeks before when there was no money and everybody was complaining”, he queried, stressing that the incident could not have happened without an insider.
He said all the security men that were on duty when the department was burgled are also being interrogated in addition to those working in the Accounts Department and that he has given his nod for thorough investigation of the incident despite pressure to sweep the matter under the carpet.
He said he is an apostle of bringing an end to reign of impunity. According to him, stealing is stealing even if it is one kobo, stressing that it is those who indulge in this kind of burglary that eventually graduate into stealing of billions.
He said that the money carted away was in the region of N3 million but that he believes in procedure hence he has to bring in policemen to investigate the matter.
“Immediately they told me, I asked them not to enter the department since policemen would need fingerprints during the investigation”, he told our correspondent.
He said the money was meant to pay allowance to Nigerians who are used in ‘Probono Services, mediation, free legal services and others adding that since they are not staff, the ministry evolved the idea of giving them allowance for volunteering their expertise in mediation and in other areas,
“And they like it even though we don’t pay them”, he said adding that the allowance range from N5,000 to N10, 000 per volunteer in a month.
