The Conference of Northern States Civil Society Network has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently address Nigerians in a national broadcast over alleged stamp duty fraud worth N89 trillion.

It said, there was an alleged undercover committee set up to investigate and recover the accumulated stamp duty money by the President which it called on the President to address Nigerians in the interest of public trust and transparency.

In an open letter addressed to the President and made available to newsmen in Gombe through the Network’s Coordinator in Gombe, Ibrahim Yusuf, the CSO’s drew the attention of President Buhari on the trending issue which it said Nigerians are worried about.

It stated that the trending issue regarding the committee supposedly set up covertly under his hands to investigate the alleged stamp duty fraud worth N89 trillion must not be left under the carpet.

The letter reads: “Nigerians are worried about the purported humongous sum of money said to have been manipulated by some few individuals while we continue to pass and sign into law appropriation bills with huge deficits and whose implementation largely depends on burrowing.We feel uneasy on the increasing Nigerian debt profile and wonder how our nation shall magically plan to survive with these humongous deficits in our national budgets.

“Sir, Hon Muhammad Gudaje Kazaure, a member of the national assembly representing Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa and Yankwashi Federal Constituency in Jigawa State had on several platforms claimed that you had set up the undercover presidential committee headed by one Mr Adetola Adekoya to investigate the long accumulated stamp duty revenues.

“In our humble opinion, it will be a major disservice to the nation if you as the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria continue to remain silent on this sensitive national issue which has not only captured the attention of all Nigerians but also the International Community.

“The magnitude of the most recent trending issue deserves nothing less than a live national broadcast to address Nigerians on the status of the said committee and the humongous sum of money said to have been stashed in some Nigerian commercial banks.

“Your Excellency, one of the most painful and derogatory remarks in the entire hullabaloo is that ‘Nigeria is a country where Government burrows Government money and pays interest to cabals’.

“This assertion is not only too sensitive to capture your attention, as some Government officials were fingered in the alleged mess, as well as to save the integrity of our dear country which is currently at stake”, the letter which was signed by 19 Northern State Coordinators and Abuja stated.

The Rivers state police command said it infiltrated into a child trafficking syndicate, rescued ten pregnant women and arrested four alleged traffickers involved in the illegality.

The four alleged child traffickers were arrested when the c41 intelligent unit of the Command raided two houses at Igwuruta and Omagwa communities respectively in Ikwerre local government area, where victims of child trafficking were being kept.

A statement by the spokesperson of the command, SP Grace RACE Iringe-Koko said on 7th of January at about 4:45pm acting on credible information the operative busted the houses and rescued ten ladies, most of them pregnant, who are from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Benue and Imo state respectively.

“On Saturday 7th January 2023, at about 1645hrs acting on credible intelligence available to the Rivers State Police Command, C4I Intelligence Unit Operatives, raided two houses at Igwuruta and Omagwa communities respectively, where victims of child trafficking were being kept. In the operation, the suspects were arrested by the police operatives: Favour Bright ‘F’, 30 years old, from Umudioga Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, and Peace Alikoi ‘F’, 40 years old, from Igwuruta Community in Ikwere Local Government Area, who is the leader of the trafficking syndicate, Noble Uzuchi ‘m’ 17 years old and Chigozie Ogbonna ‘m’ 29 years old.

“The victims rescued in the operation are Ten (10) most of them pregnant they include: Gift Saviour ‘F’ 19yrs from Umudioga Community in Ikwere Local Government Area, Favour Charles ‘F’ 23yrs from Abale Community in Obingwa LGA of Abia State, Joy Monday ‘F’ 21yrs from Bumy Community Gokana Local Government Ares Rivers State, Chiagoro Nice ‘F’ 19yrs from Ndas Community Etche Local Government Area, Blessing Francis ‘F’ 28yrs from Ngwa Community Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area Akwa Ibom State, Joy Emmanuel ‘F’ 29yrs from Ikot Obiom Community in Nsit Ibiom Local Government Area Akwa Ibom State, Precious Kalu ‘F’ 25yrs from Umudioga Emohua Local Government Area Rivers State.

“Others are: Cynthia Ekeh ‘F’ 27yrs from Okpuala Community Ngor Okpuala Local Government Area Imo State, and Queen Amos ‘F’ 28yrs from Owase Community in Kwande Local Government Area Benue State. Chika Nwosa ‘F’ 15yrs from Umudioga Emohua Local Government Area, Chigozie Ogbonna ‘M’ 29yrs From Abale Community Obingwa Local Government Area Abia State, and Noble Uzochi ‘M’ 17 years from Omuobasa Community in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State

The statement said investigation into the case revealed that when the victim delivered, the syndicate leader keeps the baby while she pays the victim the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira, noting that all the victims have confessed that they lured them to the illicit sales of their children because of the need to meet some financial challenges.

She further said the case has been transferred to the State CID as efforts are being intensified to track and arrest the buyers of the children already sold out.

“Investigation into the case so far reveals that when the victim delivered, the syndicate leader would keep the baby while she pays the victim a sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000:00). All the victims confessed that they have been lured to the illicit sales of children because of the need to meet some financial challenges. Honda Pilot Jeep with Reg. Number, Lagos, FST 607 AX, white was recovered from the syndicate leader.

“The case has been transferred to the State CID and efforts are being intensified to track and arrest the buyers of the children already sold out.

PPRO reaffirmed the commitment of the command to reducing crime and criminality in all its forms to the barest minimum and urged the public to remain vigilant.