From Umar Ado Sokoto
The erstwhile chairman of Gudu Local Government Council in Sokoto State ,Alhaji Bello Wakili Bachaka says he sold out his official vehicle to pay bandits over N4 million ransom to released his beloved wife and other two of his children.
Bachaka who served as Gudu local government council chairman from April 2021 to April 2023 stated to the commission that toward the end of their tenure his beloved wife and two of his children were kidnapped and such situation necessitated him to sold the monetised Toyota hilux vehicle and paid ransom to the bandits to free his families.
The former chairman who testified before the Sokoto State Judicial Commission of Enquiry into the activities of immediate past administration (2015 to 2023),on memo number four which concerning the 23 vehicles monetisation exercise .
The witness testified before the commission’s Presiding Judge ,Justice Mu’azu Pindiga also maintain that sold the vehicle and paid over N4 million to the bandit before they released the three of his families to him.
He revealed that the vehicle was monetised to him at the cost of over N4 million and the amount was said to have been deducted from his N5 million total gratuity and other allowances benefit .
He noted that he had no option than to disposed the monetised Toyota hilux vehicle to pay the ransom to the bandit .
He explained that ,after bargained with the kidnappers ,the then chairman took the said amount to the bandit in one of the village in Wurno Local Government Area of the state were he paid the money to the bandit in which after they freed and handed over the abductees to him safely.
Bachaka pleaded with the Sokoto State government to consider their present predicament saying presently he cannot afford to buy or refund the vehicle money as their gratuities and other allowances were not being paid .
“I was invited to give what i know about the Toyota vehicle which was auctioned to us by the former Sokoto State administration “,
” The vehicles were actioned to us with agreement that the state government will pay vehicles money from our benefits emoluments gratuities and furniture allowances benefits to settle the payments of the vehicles”,
While lamenting on how they were not settled their remaining gratuities balance after the payment of the vehicles as agreed upon in the memorandum of understanding , unfortunately our remaining retirement allowances balance was not paid till this moment .
“Government should consider our present predicament as our balance has not being paid”,
We were not given a single kobo in the name of our retirement benefit despite that we served for two years as local government chairmen .
The former administration had deducted a huge amount from our furniture and gratuities allowance to pay the Hilux Toyota vehicles and they have not gave us any documents to prove the payments of the vehicles .
He offered prayers and hope the State Government would settles their outstanding gratuity balance to solve some of their financial challenges .
