WAKAMA “SPEAKS” IN THE HE SAID/HE SAID SPINAL EQUIPMENT SAGA : A CASE OF FRAUD AGAINST DR KAWU?
The
outcry and slew of reactions that accompanied the Facebook Post “Corruption and the
pain of being a Nigerian physician” Written by DR
Ahidjo Abdulkadiri Kawu, a spine surgeon employed as Consultant at the
University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada Abuja where he recounted how his
refusal
in 2010 to “settle” an
official of the Nigerian Customs, one Mr GAP Wakama, resulted in the seizure of
Millions of Naira worth of medical Aid equipment destined for Spinal patients
in Nigeria that have since been consigned to the
storage by the Nigeria Custom Service. As a matter of
fact so many saw it as an opportunity to clamp down on official brigandage in
the country. More so, Dr Kawu’s update a few days later; “UPDATE ON SEIZED
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BY NIGERIAN CUSTOMS..” was evidence
enough the the outcry had reached the ears of decision makers. In one of my
blog posts,
http://osaspointofview.blogspot.com/2012/03/canary-proves-that-powerfultargetted.html
, I reproduced the update. Suffice it to say the NASS, ICPC and Customs HQ had
taken note and Kawu was asked to visit their offices with documentations in
this regard.
Wow!
I was ecstatic because such an accelerated resolution was novel to me and also especially
so because of the medium that elicited such action. I was one of the first to
applaud this ‘Victory’ and called for an expedited hearing of whatever Panel of
Enquiry would be constituted to investigate the issue.
And
to think that while all these happened we had not heard a ‘peep’ out of Wakama
that is, until now. Find below a write up (Reproduced
Verbatim) that was posted in one of my threads on the matter by an FB contact Ibifuro Longjohn.The language of
the post indicates that the writer is clued in to Customs and Excise Register;
READ AND MAKE YOUR CONCLUSIONS.
Dear Doctor Kawu,
I have read your alleged claims and
I must tell you that I believe you are not telling the whole story. You cannot
use the social media as you often do, to throw tantrums and expect that all
Nigerians will buy your story. I feel that you are being economical with the
facts of the matter and must be made to answer certain questions also.
We have seen a lot of people like you, make bogus claims to indict credible NIgerians.
Having read through your claims I noticed that certain issues did not add up. Kindly answer the following questions.
1) You stated in your claims, that “on arrival, the O/C (Officer in Charge) Custom Services Mr Wakama GAP inspected the document and said that we must settle him before he release the good since the donated equipment has a value of about N50 million”.
Why would he assume that the equipments were undervalued, if he did not have any initial suspicions? If your goods were not undervalued, how did you value them to Nigerian Customs in the first place for such a claim to arise?
Did you have any direct dealings or forum with Mr Wakama GAP where he allegedly asked you to settle him? Did you encounter him face to face?
2)You wrote that your clearing agents,” Siklaw Global Resource Ltd after completing the Form M and risk assessment paid the custom duty on the 6th March 2011″.
How come you are now telling us on line 12 that medical equipments and materials donated for humanitarian purposes did not attract duties? Why did your clearing agent pay duties on medical equipments and materials donated for humanitarian purposes when you are not supposed to?
Tell us, what was the status of your Risk Assessment Report?
Tell us, what was the actual value of the equipments and what amount did you pay as customs duties to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the 6th of March 2011?
Can you produce the invoice and an itemized list of your equipments for all to see?
Tell us, if your equipments were donations, did you apply for a Donation Waiver from the Nigerian Customs Services? If so what happened? If not, why?
3) You mentioned that, “his immediate boss intervene and directed him to inspect and release the equipment”. It shows therefore that he no longer had any more authorities to withhold your equipments.
4) You also mentioned on lines 15 and 16, the following that, “in November, I was invited by the investigation officer from Nigeria Custom Service to tell my story. I was informed by the investigating officer that I have not done anything wrong and that the officer knows that too and that the equipment will be brought to the hospital for me”.
Again, this tells me that the said officer had no more role to play in your matter, that it was up to the investigating officer to deliver your equipments as promised to you.
You, yourself admitted that Mr Wakama GAP was not the one withholding your goods rather, according to you, “there was no response from the Nigeria Custom Service till October 2011 when I officially reported the case to ICPC for further action” and “that since November till date, the equipment is still at the storage which the Nigeria Custom Service has refused to release”.
Doctor Kawu, Mr Wakama GAP, was only doing his job. Not all Customs Officers are corrupt.
You have a case to answer because you fraudulently deceived the Nigerian Customs by undervaluing the equipments and by being very economical with the truth, thereby being as corrupt, malicious and untrustworthy to the very system you claim to be champion of.
You have built a reputation of always crying wolf, inciting others and blackmail tendencies.
You had a similar brush with NAFDAC previously were you cast aspersions against the Presidency
We have seen a lot of people like you, make bogus claims to indict credible NIgerians.
Having read through your claims I noticed that certain issues did not add up. Kindly answer the following questions.
1) You stated in your claims, that “on arrival, the O/C (Officer in Charge) Custom Services Mr Wakama GAP inspected the document and said that we must settle him before he release the good since the donated equipment has a value of about N50 million”.
Why would he assume that the equipments were undervalued, if he did not have any initial suspicions? If your goods were not undervalued, how did you value them to Nigerian Customs in the first place for such a claim to arise?
Did you have any direct dealings or forum with Mr Wakama GAP where he allegedly asked you to settle him? Did you encounter him face to face?
2)You wrote that your clearing agents,” Siklaw Global Resource Ltd after completing the Form M and risk assessment paid the custom duty on the 6th March 2011″.
How come you are now telling us on line 12 that medical equipments and materials donated for humanitarian purposes did not attract duties? Why did your clearing agent pay duties on medical equipments and materials donated for humanitarian purposes when you are not supposed to?
Tell us, what was the status of your Risk Assessment Report?
Tell us, what was the actual value of the equipments and what amount did you pay as customs duties to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the 6th of March 2011?
Can you produce the invoice and an itemized list of your equipments for all to see?
Tell us, if your equipments were donations, did you apply for a Donation Waiver from the Nigerian Customs Services? If so what happened? If not, why?
3) You mentioned that, “his immediate boss intervene and directed him to inspect and release the equipment”. It shows therefore that he no longer had any more authorities to withhold your equipments.
4) You also mentioned on lines 15 and 16, the following that, “in November, I was invited by the investigation officer from Nigeria Custom Service to tell my story. I was informed by the investigating officer that I have not done anything wrong and that the officer knows that too and that the equipment will be brought to the hospital for me”.
Again, this tells me that the said officer had no more role to play in your matter, that it was up to the investigating officer to deliver your equipments as promised to you.
You, yourself admitted that Mr Wakama GAP was not the one withholding your goods rather, according to you, “there was no response from the Nigeria Custom Service till October 2011 when I officially reported the case to ICPC for further action” and “that since November till date, the equipment is still at the storage which the Nigeria Custom Service has refused to release”.
Doctor Kawu, Mr Wakama GAP, was only doing his job. Not all Customs Officers are corrupt.
You have a case to answer because you fraudulently deceived the Nigerian Customs by undervaluing the equipments and by being very economical with the truth, thereby being as corrupt, malicious and untrustworthy to the very system you claim to be champion of.
You have built a reputation of always crying wolf, inciting others and blackmail tendencies.
You had a similar brush with NAFDAC previously were you cast aspersions against the Presidency
OSA
UPDATE: I have just seen a post on Kayode's Blog by one Asonumaka George Wakama, the younger brother of the Custom Officer involved : http://kayodeogundamisi.blogspot.com/2012/03/dr-kawus-bribe-story-is-vicious-lie.html
toeing pretty much the same line as the post above.
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