The Chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State, Taofiq Isah has allegedly auctioned properties worth hundreds of millions of naira belonging to the Local Government Area, less than one month to the end of his tenure.
Various items belonging to the local government area ranging from motor vehicles, typewriters, motorcycles, furniture, cooking utensils, mowers and other items were put up for sale to raise funds for the council following the freezing of state and local government accounts by the Governor, Alhaji Yayaha Bello, last week.
The items allegedly sold included: two Toyota Corolla, 1.8 salon 2014, Toyota Camry salon, Toyota Hummer Hiace Bus belonging to the Legislative Council, Toyota Hiace Conference bus and that of the NULGE, Toyota Camry Salon Car Envelope, 2 Toyota Sienna, Ford Hilux Vans, Ford Jeep, Toyota Pick Up Van, Quiqui, Dyna Van and other vehicles.
Also listed to have been allegedly sold are other government valuables such as ploughs, harrows, tractor scrap, tractors (Ursus 4512), MF3755, new Holland, 2 cat graders 120G and others which were reportedly sold for N16,560,000.
The remaining items, the source said, are: four television sets, five standing fans, generators, four refrigerators, typewriters, motor saw, and so on.
The Chairman, in a reaction, however retorted that the items sold were moribund items with little or no economic value to the Council.
A statement issued in response to the allegation by the Special Assistant to the Chairman, Media and Publicity, Othman Hamidu, clarified that the property sold were moribund, adding that the sale was handled by a professional and reputable auctioneer
The statement read in parts, “It is a known fact that the assets have become moribund over the years and impacting on the local government’s lean resources can be auctioned out at a specified amount determined by auctioneers and money gotten remitted to the Local Government’s account,” he said.
