The Office of the National Security Adviser has uncovered a major fraud involving 29 ghost workers.
The 29 ghost workers are said to have drawn salaries and emoluments in the region of N4 billion before the discovery.
The NSA, retired Major General Babagana Monguno, sources told The Eagle Online, unearthed the fraud after an audit exercise he undertook based on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.
A source in the office said: “Monguno uncovered over N4 billion security fraud within the Presidency.
“A security audit and verification exercise ordered by the President uncovered these can of worms in Aso Rock.
“The verification exercise showed that about 29 ghost security personnel have been on security pay roll in the Presidency over the years.”
The source further revealed that before now, the security budget for the Presidential Villa was about N6.5 billion, at least until 2015.
The N4 billion was alleged to be part of the N6.5 billion voted for security personnel and logistics in the Presidency.
The source added: “The NSA, who considered the N6.5 billion as outrageous, insisted that it be reduced.
“He subsequently brought the figure down to N2 billion.
“It was a move commended and approved by the President.
“A particular security agency delayed their auditing and verification for six months before releasing its personnel for the exercise few days ago.
“Interestingly, under the N6.5 fraudulent budget regime, junior security personnel in the Presidency received N18,000 per month, while senior personnel were entitled to N35,000 only, with no form of welfare packages.
“Currently, under the supervision of the Monguno, with a realistic budget of N2 billion being effectively deployed to the general benefit and welfare of men and women saddled with the responsibility of the safety and security in the Presidency, the junior security personnel, who were paid N18,000 under the N6.5 billion budget regime, now enjoy a minimum of N80,000, while the senior personnel, who received N35,000 then, now collect a minimum of N150,000, including other benefits.”
The source added that under the new security budget regime, a middle level cadre had been introduced into the security architecture, with those in this category receiving a minimum of N100,000 monthly as allowance aside other benefits.
The source said the upward review of allowances was to ensure professional hierarchy and discipline, adding that the sole target is to boost the morale of all the security personnel in the discharge of their statutory duties.
Aside from the increment in monthly allowances of staff, another quarterly allowance was also said to have been introduced by the Office of the NSA.
It is known as the special duty quarterly allowance for security personnel in the Presidency.
The source said: “Under this arrangement, N80,000, N85,000 and N90,000 go to junior, middle and senior cadres respectively.
“This measure is to ensure professionalism is maintained.”
Monguno, the source said, has also introduced Departmental Allowances to discourage any form of corruption and mismanagement of security fund.
The aim is also to ensure that the departments function effectively.
The source added: “The show of power and rivalry between the former Chief Security Officer to President Buhari, Abdulrahman Mani, and Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant Colonel Lawal Abubakar, got to a climax in June 2015, when the two officers issued counter directives concerning the duties and operations of various agencies working in the Villa.
“This was brought under control by the quick intervention of Monguno.
“The functions of all security agencies in the Presidency are specified by law.
“Their duties and functions may overlap as they are complementary in the common task of securing lives and properties in Aso Rock.
“But these duties are coordinated and overseen by the NSA, who presides over meetings with the heads of all the security agencies.”
Eagle Online
