General
Massive Corruption in NIGCOMSAT, CEO Abimbola Alale Fingered in Alleged Multi-Billion Naira Fraud
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The motive behind the extension of service for Mrs Abimbola Alale in 2019 as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) for another 4-year term may be gradually unfolding.
As it is now obvious that though she is the only African on the board of Space Generation Advisory Council when it comes to the financial affairs of NIGCOMSAT; a satellite communications service provider wholly owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria and incorporated on April 4, 2006, she does not fly solo.
Disregard for due process at NIGCOMSAT
Investigations revealed that between September and December 2011, Mrs Alale in connivance with the immediate-past managing director of NIGCOMSAT, Engr. Ahmed Rufai, and one Alma Okpalefe Udoyen without a Certificate of No Objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and no approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) since the service was a non-consultant service contract, allegedly paid the sum of N5,893,920,000 as an insurance premium for the launch of NigComSat-1R satellite to Fasaha Intercontinental Insurance Brokers Ltd, with an office at Block C3 Amsalco Plaza, No 100 Zoo Road Kano.
Tax payers’ funds siphoned
As the project director for NIGCOMSAT 1R we learned, Mrs Alale also allegedly facilitated payment up to the tune of N3,082,742,400 for non-existent and fictitious insurance policies, amongst which was a N1,475,680,000 payment as premium for an Early Launch Orbit insurance with no certificate issued. China Great Wall Industries Corp. (CGWIC), the satellite manufacturers, however, did not indicate Early Launch Orbit Insurance as part of the insurance cover for the satellite.
Despite the contract document of NIGCOMSAT 1R satellite between Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) and China Great Wall Industries Corp. (CGWIC) stating that the transit insurance of the NIGCOMSAT-1R satellite from the factory in Beijing to the launch site at Xichang was the responsibility of CGWIC, another payment of N1,607,062,400 was allegedly made with no insurance policy or certificate to authenticate the transaction.
Obviously running the agency with an open check, the sum of N1,475, 680,000 was subsequently paid for NIGCOMSAT 1R Launch Insurance while the sum of N1,335,497,600 was paid for NIGCOMSAT 1R In-Orbit Insurance valid for two years from 2011 to 2013.
However, on December 21, 2012, while the subsisting in-orbit insurance was still valid, they allegedly paid the sum of N421,885,364.63 to Fasaha Intercontinental Insurance Brokers Ltd for the renewal of the in-orbit insurance policy for December 19, 2012, to December 19, 2013.
Just like other fictitious deals, we gathered that the payment was approved by the in-house tender management board fully aware that the said in-orbit insurance is not renewable as it is traditionally a one-time payment.
While the copy of the insurance policy did not state the premium, no FEC approval or BPP Certificate of No-Objection was obtained for the procurement which remarkably, was not signed by either party, with no insurance certificate from the local and foreign insurers.
Further diggings showed that not only was the act fraudulent, but the amount approved for the project was also above the threshold of the company’s tenders board as set out by BPP in the approved revised threshold for the award of contracts, thus contravenes section 16 (I) (2) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
On November 4, 2010, Mr Rufai and Mrs Alale awarded a contract for the supply of phones towards the implementation of the National Public Security Communications System Project (NPSCS). The contract, which was a supply of goods contract, was above the threshold of the in-house management tender board meeting as stated in the BPP guidelines.
The approving authority for this contract should be the FEC while the BPP will issue ‘No Objection Certificate’. But this was not followed.
Action not taken despite recommendations
It was also gathered that a former executive director, Finance and Administration (F&A), Mohammed Lema Tambuwal, had raised several concerns about Mrs Alale’s alleged breach of government financial regulations.
One of such was the total disregard of due process in auctioning the company’s assets including new vehicles in the company’s fleet to herself and her allies.
The executive director recommended that these vehicles be returned to the company and these persons be refunded the paltry sums paid to acquire the new vehicles, but this was never implemented. Instead, this newspaper gathered that the Executive Director was asked to relinquish the finance portfolio.
Other allegations against the NIGCOMSAT boss is that against the federal government’s guidelines, most lucrative contracts were offered exclusively to Content Oasis Ltd owned by the former chairman of the NIGCOMSAT, Turner Isoun’s son, Diseye Isoun and most of the projects were not executed.
Investigations further revealed that nepotism and tribalism are the order of business at NIGCOMSAT. It was gathered that appointments to managerial positions as well as promotions are usually arbitrary and based on Mrs Alale’s interest.
…Watch out for the second series of alleged massive fraud at NIGCOMSAT.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Young bloggers, online content creators and digital influencers have been charged to embrace ethical journalism, responsible storytelling and fact-based reporting as they shape public opinion in the digital age.
This task was given by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, during the Niger State Bloggers, Online Publishers and Content Developers Forum on Monday in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister said digital platforms offer enormous opportunities for innovation and civic engagement but must be used responsibly to promote truth, national unity and constructive public discourse.
He urged bloggers and content creators to verify information before publication, reject misinformation and disinformation, avoid sensationalism, and use their platforms to educate, inspire and promote national development.
Mr Idris also encouraged young Nigerians to see digital content creation not only as a source of income but also as a tool for civic engagement and nation-building, stressing that ethical communication is essential to strengthening democracy and public trust.
He further encouraged aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs to continue developing their skills and uphold professional standards that will strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s online media ecosystem.
“There is no democracy that can thrive without a responsible media. You cannot carry freedom and abandon responsibility,” he stated, adding that the government remains committed to protecting press freedom while encouraging ethical journalism.
The Minister also highlighted the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Institute dedicated exclusively to Media and Information Literacy, describing it as a major step in promoting digital literacy and responsible online engagement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed that Mr Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprised a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the deal stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure, if elected next year.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us,” he revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today late on Monday.
He reiterated that Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, expressing confidence in the former Anambra State governor, noting that his interactions had convinced him that he would respect the agreement.
“I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term.
“The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
In the 2023 Presidential polls, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 1.14 million hectares of degraded land have been restored by the Nigerian government, with more than 1.5 million trees planted across the country in the past year.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, at the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said these achievements were made through initiatives of the federal government like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to him, the restoration of the land and the planting of trees demonstrate a clear national commitment to securing environmental sustainability while advancing economic growth.
The Minister reemphasised that the environment is not an abstract concept, pointing out that “it is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future.”
He praised Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for his giant strides in the environment sector in the state, urging other state governors to emulate him by providing sponsorship for their students to the various Federal Colleges of Forestry Resources Management institutions located across the six geo-political zones of the country to encourage and boost Forest education in the country.
He described the decision of Mr Zulum to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to a forestry college in Maiduguri as commendable.
Mr Lawal also informed the participants of the programme that the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, is a key policy instrument under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it protects Nigeria’s forest resources, curbs illegal logging, and encourages tree planting as a national duty.
He pledged the Federal Ministry of Environment’s continued partnership with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and other interventions tailored to their needs.
“Nigeria’s environmental future can be secured by protecting natural heritage, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development for present and future generations,” he declared.
