By Prosper Okoye, Abuja

A group by the name Northeast Concerned Citizens has raised the alarm over what it alleges as deliberate attempts to destroy the character of the sons and daughters from the region who have served the nation without any blemish.

In a rejoinder made available to DAILY ASSET and signed by the group’s National President, Ambassador Umar Mohammad, titled “Scavengers Cart-Away $4 Million from $76 Million Cash Haul Stockpiled in Abuja Apartment by Aisha Odariko and Ex-Perm Sec Mohammed Kyari,” the group denounced the report alleged to have been published by the Peoples Gazette.

“The Northeast Concerned Citizens have read with dismay a publication made by the Peoples Gazette with the above headline, indicting our son, Dr.

“We strongly wish to state that the report is riddled with irresponsible falsehoods and fabrications, which we have exposed for the reading and thinking public to see.

“First and foremost, if the allegation of money being piled up in a residential building were true, then the narrative presented by the Peoples Gazette strongly suggests that the media organization was among the so-called scavengers who perpetrated the robbery operation, using this story to divert attention from the authorities’ investigation.

“Secondly, it is suspicious how the Peoples Gazette arrived at the conclusion that Dr. Muhammad Kyari Dikwa owned the claimed stockpiled loot or had an affair with NDIC manager Aisha Odariko, based solely on the statement provided by her driver, who was found by the police to have led the criminal gang in breaking into a residential property in Apo District of Abuja.

“The Peoples Gazette unwittingly displayed the clear political motivation behind this report when it listed Dr. Dikwa’s achievements: ‘Mr. Kyari Dikwa’s public profile touted his role in fostering enduring government reforms such as the introduction of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Treasury Single Account (TSA), Asset Tracing Team (ATT), Whistleblowing Policy, Fiscal Sustainability Plan (FSP), and Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative (SRGI), among others. They also mentioned his involvement in revenue management and serving as a director of funds at the Federal Ministry of Finance. In the private sector, they referenced his work experience at Transcorp Hilton and the Transition Company of Nigeria…’

“This particular excerpt from the story reveals the organization’s clear bias rather than a genuine investigation into corruption of public interest. Notably, the report failed to mention the name of the security agency responsible for investigating the alleged stockpiled looted public funds. The purported scavengers are now at large, having escaped from prison custody. The story is rife with inconsistencies, leading one to suspect that this is indeed corruption fighting back. Otherwise, we see no reason why an incident that they alleged occurred in 2020 is now being repackaged and circulated.

“Many Nigerians can attest to the extent of the loopholes regarding ghost workers and other forms of massive public corruption within the civil service, which Dr. Dikwa’s initiatives had addressed in Nigerian public institutions.

“Throughout his career as a civil and public servant, Dr. Dikwa has not been indicted for any form of corruption, and no money was reported missing under his watch.

“Consequently, he has received numerous national and international service awards in recognition of his excellence.

“Through this medium, the Northeast Concerned Citizens implore the Peoples Gazette to retract this false, malicious report and refrain from willfully damaging the character of our sons who have served this nation with dedication and perseverance. It is imperative that Nigerian media regulatory agencies and the government intervene to prevent such irresponsible use of the media,” the statement read in part.