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Police Stole N20m from Govt House – Ngige
Anambra govt planning to kill me, says Uba From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka, 12.07.2004
Anambra state Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday accused men of the Mobile Unit 29, Awka of allegedly stealing money in the state's vaults, amounting to over N20 million when unidentified hoodlums burnt down properties in the state between November 10 and 12. However, Ngige's enstranged godfather, Chief Chris Uba, has accused the governor of plotting to assassinate him. But in a quick reaction, the state government said Uba's allegation was "a false alarm being peddled to attract unnecessary sympathy." Ngige who addressed reporters at Government House, Awka,yesterday evening after undertaking what he called "indepth Inspection tour" of damaged properties and government offices said the money was contained in four vaults in Government House. He said it was intact up to 6p.m. of the second day of the crisis, when mobile policemen who watched as the hoodlums set the buildings burning chased people away and blew the safes open with the aid of dynamites before stealing the money. "Each passing day we discovered that more things were either destroyed or vandalised. I am doing an indepth inspection to see how we can remedy some of the damaged properties and get our staff back to the offices. "From the benefit of hindsight now, I had underestimated what we lost to the hoodlums when I told you the other time that it was about N30billion. But when you look at the enormity of destruction carried out here, you will agree with me that the loses are collosal. When you look at the computers, the air-conditioners, and other security gadgets and electrical appliances together with the offices and other publlic buildings burnt down, you will discover how collosal the loses are. "For the first time, I am discovering the vaults that were vandallised and money stolen running into millions of naira because the Director of Finance was to make payments that weekend and the money had been brought from the bank," he said. Asked how much was contained in the vaults, Ngige said: "I don't know, but from the initial report I had, I was told that over N20 million was carted away by policemen from the police mobile Unit 29, Awka. I understand that from the time the hoodlums left, in the late afternoon, the cash were there, but by about 6pm in the evening, the policemen chased away people around and ripped about four safes open with dynamites and the cash lodged in them were carted away," he said. He also accused the police of preventing men of the state fire service from putting off the fire ignited on the fire service vehicle stationed at the Government House the cost of which he put at over N28 million. He said reconstruction work on the damaged properties will start in earnest, adding that he had directed the state commissioner for works to take an inventory of damaged properties. From the inventory, he said the government would rebuild those "we can repair immediataely, and furnish so that our staff can move in, but others like the Deputy-Governor's office, we wait until we get the money." Ngige said that the arsonists who burnt down about 26 lock-up shops at the Nnewi market in the state last week had been arrested by the police. He accused one Chief Ejiamatu Igbokwe of allegedly master-minding the arson because of differences with government over the ownership of stalls in the market and restated the state government's ownership of the market as enunciated in a government white paper that investigated the matter in 1996. He said Igbokwe has been granted bail under stringent conditions, adding that he was to be arraigned at the Nnewi High court yesterday but for the strike embarked upon by the judicial workers in the state. Meanwhile, Uba, in a statement said he had "intelligence report that the governor was plotting to eliminate me." He said the alleged plot was a continuation of the series of attacks on his character and person by Ngige since last year. "Ngige has said everything bad about me and tried to paint me black before the whole Nigeria, because I played a big role in making him the governor of the state," he said. He disclosed that the governor had directed the vigilance group, otherwise known as Bakassi Boys "to shoot my convoy any moment from now." As part of the alleged plot, Uba said: "some members of the group who were sent to monitor my country home at Uga, Aguata council area were recently arrested by the police in the area. Some arms and ammunition including some pump action rifles were recovered from the men." Uba noted that the development led to his petition to the state police command asking for protection. However, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media/Publicity, Fred Chukwuelobe, discribed the claim as "a ploy by the Uba group to retain the hordes of mobile police escorts attached to him and if possible get more.” Chukwuelobe said that it had become the usual pattern of Uba when ever he wanted more police protection. "It is an unnecessary alarm to keep the dozens of policemen guarding him, and attempt to get more. Police should therefore, read between the lines because, we (government) raised the alarm earlier and now he is claiming threat to his life," Chukwuelobe said. Ngige had earlier alleged that Uba planned to kill him. A few days after he raised the alarm, bombs exploded at the Governor's Lodge, Awka where Ngige lives.
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