Read How Benue State N18.7b Teachers' Salaries Disappeared



The commission of inquiry in Benue state
which resumed sitting at the Makurdi High
Court on Thursday, November 12, revealed
that the sum of N18.7b meant for primary
school teachers’ salaries was paid into an
unknown account with First Bank.
Chief Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue
state
Emmanuel Ikpe, the permanent secretary of
the Bureau, testifying before the commission
could not give a satisfactory explanation as
to who the bank account belonged to. He
appealed to the commission to invite the
former special adviser of the Bureau during
the period under investigation, Solomon
Wombo, and the then permanent secretary,
Asen Sambe, to give the required
clarifications.
According to Daily Post, he said N1.8b for
monthly salaries of primary school teachers
owed between October 2013 and June 2014,
was lodged in the fixed deposit account
number 1017993231 with First Bank of
Nigeria.

Ikpe confessed that the Bureau made
payments between January and May 2015
up to the tune of N18.7b into the unknown
account at First Bank, Makurdi, adding that
officials of the bank refused to give the
Bureau details of the account when the
director of finance and administration
approached them.
When the commission demanded to know
who from the Bureau made the payment of
N4.6 billion in May and N5 billion in June
last year among others, the permanent
secretary of the Bureau said Isaiah Ipevnor,
the then accountant, and the then permanent
secretary, Sambe who was the accounting
officer, were said to be in the best position
to explain.
Justice Kpojime adjourned sitting to enable
Ikpe to continue with his testimony on
Friday, November 13 and Thursday,
November 19 and also to allow him tender
some documents as requested, The Sun
reports.