Obaigbena Writes EFCC, Says From Ex-NSA Dasuki for Boko Bombing of THISDAY Offices
LAGOS DECEMBER 12TH (URHOBOTODAY)- – Chairman of ThisDay Newspaper, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena has written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to explain why the Office of the National Security Adviser paid N670 million to his company.
According to Obaigbena, part of the payment was for compensation for the bombing of ThisDay offices in Abuja and Kaduna by the Boko Haram in April 2012.
In the letter to the EFCC, Obaigbena attached a letter he wrote to former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, seeking compensation for the bombing of his company.
Also, according to email threads between Mr. Obaigbena and former NSA, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, seen by THEWILL, part of the payments was also for compensation to newspaper companies following a crackdown on the press by the military which led to seizures and disruption of circulation of newspapers in Abuja in the wake of frequent Boko Haram attacks.
Some of the papers that filed complaints and were compensated, according to the exchange between Obaigbena and Dasuki include “ThisDay, Vanguard, Sun, The Nation, New Telegraph, Daily Trust, People’s Daily, Leadership, Daily Independent, Tribune, Guardian & BusinessDay.”
Obaigbena doubles as President of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
If This Day Newspaper could be compensated to the tune of NB 70 million, what was the compensation for hundreds of families whose bread winners, mothers, fathers,brothers and sisters who were killed in cold blood? Some of these people were brutally murdered while worshiping their God. Many children are orphans today as a result of bokoharam bombings. Has anybody cared to even take a comprehensive census of those innocent victims? Who will compensate these families? Must Nigeria be country of the rich must get richer and the poor poorer? May God help this country. Nduka Obaigbena should go to EFCC and answer the charges against him and his company.