In a shocking revelation, it has been reported that New Planet Project Limited, a company owned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, allegedly received a total of N438.1 million from the suspended Minister of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
The payments were purportedly made for consultancy services related to the National Social Register contract, part of the N3 billion contracts awarded by the suspended minister.
According to documents posted by Jackson Ude, the editor of Pointblank News, Tunji-Ojo’s company was initially paid N279 million for the verification of the list and an additional N159 million for the same purpose. Sources suggest that the interior minister may have secured the contract through his former aide, Thalis Apalowo, who served as a legislative aide to Tunji-Ojo during his tenure in the National Assembly.
The list of beneficiaries of the N3 billion contract includes other companies such as Fabunmi Olanipekun & Co., Vintsolve Global Consult, Periscope Consulting, Blue Trend Enterprise, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services, Memak Nigeria Limited, MC Van Management Consult Limited, and Danzinger Nigeria Limited. These companies reportedly claimed to have verified 11 million homes in Nigeria under one month.
The revelations have raised concerns about the transparency and legitimacy of the contract awards, with questions surrounding the ownership and registration details of some of the benefiting companies. Blue Trend Enterprise, Periscope Consulting, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services, Memak Nigeria Limited, MC Van Management Consult Limited, and Danzinger Nigeria Limited have all come under scrutiny for various reasons, including unknown ownership and lack of proper registration records.
As allegations of financial impropriety continue to circulate, calls for a thorough investigation into the matter are gaining momentum. The Nigerian public awaits further developments in this unfolding controversy.
