REA CEO and Three Executive Directors Suspended Amid Fraud Allegations

President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, and three Executive Directors from the agency indefinitely.

This decision was made after new findings were uncovered during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the agency.

The suspended Executive Directors include Olaniyi Alaba Netufo (Executive Director, Corporate Services), Barka Sajou (Executive Director, Technical Services), and Sa’adatu Balgore (Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund).

The suspension comes amid allegations of fraudulent misexpenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years.

President Tinubu has also ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the aforementioned officials, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.

In a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu emphasized his commitment to elevating the yearnings of Nigerians for good governance and quality service delivery above the narrow interests of individuals entrusted to provide critical services to the Nigerian people.

In light of these developments, the President has appointed a new management team to lead the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in acting capacity with immediate effect. The new team includes:

Abba Abubakar Aliyu — Acting Managing Director/CEO
Ayoade Gboyega — Acting Executive Director, Corporate Services
Umar Abdullahi Umar — Acting Executive Director, Technical Services
Doris Uboh — Acting Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF)
Olufemi Akinyelure — Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project

As the new management team takes the helm, it is expected that they will uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties, in line with President Tinubu’s vision for a more transparent and accountable government.