President Bola Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension of themanaging director and chief executive officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Salihijo Ahmad. Also suspended are three executive directors – Olaniyi Netufo, executive director, of corporate services, Barka Sajou, executive director, of technical services and Sa’adatuBelgore, executive director, of Rural Electrification Fund (REF). The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement yesterday, said the suspension of the management team was given new findings unearthed during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the agency.
President Tinubu has also ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the officials in alleged fraudulent misappropriation amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which had already been recovered by anti-graft agencies. By the directive of the president, five other Nigerians have been appointed with immediate effect to serve in the new management team of the agency in an acting capacity. The new appointees are Abba Aliyu — managing director/CEO; Ayoade Gboyega — executive director, of corporate services; Abdullahi Umar — executive director, of technical services; Doris Uboh — executive director, of Rural Electrification Fund (REF) and Olufemi Akinyelure — head of project management unit, Nigeria Electrification Project.
