Bundles of mint-fresh dollars valued at over
$250,000 (about N40 million) that reportedly disappeared late last month in
Governor Godswill Akpabio’s bedroom at the Akwa Ibom state governor’s lodge in
Asokoro, Abuja, have been recovered intact.
News website, Saharareporters, had last month
reported that the missing dollars, stashed in drawers in the governor’s
bedroom, were stolen while he was away attending a dinner with President Goodluck
Jonathan at the Aso Rock Villa a fortnight ago.
But, PREMIUM TIMES gathered in Abuja that the
missing money was recovered a week after by an electrician invited to carry out
minor repairs on one of the air conditioners inside the governor’s bedroom at the
lodge.
Mr. Akpabio, who is well known for his
profligacy with state funds, had reportedly ordered the dismissal of three
stewards working at the lodge, suspecting they had helped themselves with the
bundles.
But, unknown to the governor, the trio knew nothing
about the missing money. The culprit, senior Akwa Ibom officials close to the
governor said, was actually one of the drivers attached to the office of the
governor’s Special Representative in Abuja, who is the caretaker of the lodge.
The driver had reportedly sneaked into the
governor’s room and removed the bundles from where they were kept. But because
of the security around that section of the lodge, he cleverly tucked them
inside the compartment of the air conditioner till a more convenient time he
would be able to smuggle his fortune out.
Officials who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said a
week after the money was declared missing, it was observed that one of the air
conditioners in the governor’s bedroom appeared to have malfunctioned.
The driver behind the missing money,
ironically, was detailed to fetch an electrician to fix the failing AC ahead of
the governor’s next visit. The electrician was called as he had handled similar
repairs in the past at the lodge.
On their way back to the lodge, according to
officials, the driver confessed to the workman how he had left “something”
valuable inside the air conditioner, and which he expected him to retrieve for
him, promising a huge reward if he did so successfully.
However, because of the extra security arrangement
in place around the lodge following the incident, it was learnt that it proved
difficult for the electrician to deliver on his promise, as one of the security
operatives working at the lodge was promptly detailed to supervise the repairs.
On opening the air conditioner for repairs,
the electrician was reportedly surprised that true to the driver’s earlier
hint, there was a carefully wrapped parcel inside the system, which blocked the
vents, preventing the system from functioning normally.
The electrician was said to have promptly
alerted the security operative detailed to work with him about his find; and on
opening the parcel, it was discovered that bundles of the missing money were
actually inside.
Afraid he may be held as a suspect in the
episode, the electrician reportedly confessed to the operative about the favour
the driver had sought from him on their way to the lodge.
The money was promptly handed over to the
governor’s aide, who on breaking the good news to the governor, was ordered to
give the electrician N1million cash as reward, while the dismissed stewards
should be recalled immediately, though they were redeployed to other
assignments. The fate of the driver remained unclear at the time of the report.
SOURCE:
PREMIUM TIMES
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