Elombah.com has got “reasonable information” that embattled interior Minister, whose story we reported last week, is out bribing editors in Abuja to help with a total black out of the report. We reported on 10 September that a copy of the internal security report with the National Security Adviser with subject titled, “Error in
Ministerial Clearance by D. S. S,” shows that the Department of State Security Service has mistakenly cleared Comrade Patrick Abba Moro prior to his nomination as Minister designate by Mr. President despite his ongoing prosecution for illegal possession of firearms.
The Interior Minister in Jonathan’s cabinet, Comrade Patrick Abba Moro [pictured above] was also said to have engaged himself in another arms scandal.
The revelationwhich took the prying eyes of the National Anti-Terrorism and Peace Network to unravel is connected with a large cache of arms and ammunitions imported into the country by the Federal Government to empower the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDS) tactically in protecting Nigerians from subsequent attacks by Boko Haram and other elements in the country, but thereafter the imported ammunition went missing.
A source told elombah.com the Minister has employed an aide to the Senate president, David Mark to distribute financial largesse to the Abuja Bureau chiefs of some Newspaper houses in the sum of N100,000 each in order for them to stop running the story.
Prominent journalists that have been compromised included those of Thisday, Guardian and Punch, elombah.com was told.
“He is David Mark’s person. So, he got David mark’s SA Media, Paul Mumeh, to invite some Abuja Bureau Chiefs for an early morning parley in his office at old federal secretariat in Area 1. There, he pleaded for cover and paid them N100, 000 each.”
“ThisDay, The Guardian, Punch were there”, the source said adding that “some of the editors are angry that the money was too small”.
In another development, the Petroleum Minister, Deziani Allison Madueke is trying hard to play down the story about her convoy accident that claimed the life of a staff of the Pilot newspaper. Sources say she is working at using the Publisher of The Nigerian Pilot, Denis Sami, also from Bayelsa state and a one-time SA Media to Jonathan when he was deputy governor, to cover up the incident.
“They are currently negotiating settlement for Pilot Newspapers and the guy’s family”, elombah.com was told.
It was widely reported last week that Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison Madueke’s convoycrushed an office asistant with Abuja based, The Nigerian Pilot to death in Abuja. Elombah.com thereafter learnt the Management of the Newspaper Company Pilot is covering it up because the Minister picks the bill of Dennis Sami, Pilot publisher.
The victim, James Momoh is an Office Assistant to the Editor, Jonny Nwokocha.
In a telephone chat with elombah.com two days after the incident, Editor in chief of the media house say he said he called NNPC on the issue and they said it was NNPC vehicle and not the Ministers convoy that was involved the accident. Sami also said he is still waiting for them to fully brief him.
But available information indicates that the editor is in the Ministers pocket and “whenever he is broke, Deziani Madueke [pictured] steps in.
“I have even heard it said that when he lacks money to pay salaries, Jonathan tips Deziani and it will be settled. But he will always deny Dez picks some bills”, elombah.com was told.
The editor though denies his collaboration with Deziani to cover the accident saying that never happened. He also said he has never received anything from Deziani since she became a minister, but those closest to him say otherwise.
On the accaident that claimed a member of his staff, Sami also said NNPC officials were at his office to see him on Friday, adding that both the Nigerian Union of Journalists and other commentators are talking rubbish because they were not there when it happened.
Sounding furious at the suggestion of impropriety Sami said “the only person who could say what happened was the dead guy. The NNPC is saying it was their shuttle Bus but everyone and journalists are simply talking rubbish”, he told elombah.com.
The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Mr. Fidel Pepple has since described as untrue reports that the convoy of the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the NNPC Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was involved in a deadly car crash which claimed the life of a staff of the Nigerian Pilot Newspaper in Abuja.
Mr. Pepple however confirmed that a shuttle vehicle belonging to the Corporation was involved in an accident which eventually led to the death of the Pilot Newspaper staff.
Source: www.elombah.com
