Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secrets Reporters
In the world of business and governance, Nigeria has long been plagued by allegations of corruption and favoritism, where political influence is wielded as a tool for personal gain. The recent revelation involving ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd is a telling example of how some politicians exploit their political positions to hijack lucrative government contracts, often at the expense of more qualified and capable contractors.
ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd was registered on June 13, 2016, with RC number 1341766 as a private company limited by shares. The company is situated at SS 12 Jama’a Road/Lagos Street, Kaduna, with directors and shareholders, including Aliyu Abdulkadir Faskari, Alhaji Bashir Isa Abukur, and Hassan Muazu Wagini—the latter doubling as the company’s secretary. Despite the seemingly modest origins of this enterprise, its growth into a major contractor for federal institutions has raised questions.
According to available records, ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd has been the recipient of 63 separate payments for meal subsidies, overhead costs, and other services rendered to federal government schools in Kaduna and Kafanchan. These payments, totaling over ₦431,496,751, raise eyebrows due to the individuals behind the company and their political connections.
Aliyu Abdulkadir Faskari, one of the key figures behind ABU-TALIB Investment, has a significant political history. A politician from Faskari Local Government, Katsina State, Faskari has been involved in politics for years. He contested the 2019 elections for the Faskari, Kankara, and Sabuwa Federal Constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC). His brief flirtation with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) before returning to the APC in 2023, along with his current role as a chieftain of the APC, underscores his political savvy.
However, Faskari’s political activities have not been limited to public service. Investigations reveal that while still a civil servant, Faskari was involved in managing private businesses and receiving government contracts through these entities, which is a direct violation of Nigerian law. Section 2 of the Fifth Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution explicitly prohibits public officials from engaging in private business while holding a government position. Yet, Faskari’s companies, including ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd, continued to receive government contracts, creating a conflict of interest that undermines public trust.
The 63 transactions involving ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd span over five years and include several significant payments for the provision of meal subsidies and other services to Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) in Kaduna, Kafanchan, Zaria, and other locations. Some of the most notable transactions include:
- October 5, 2018: ABU-TALIB received ₦8,447,400 from FTC Kafanchan for meal subsidies.
- December 20, 2018: The company was paid ₦8,447,400 again by FTC Kafanchan, and ₦5,120,975 by FGC Kaduna for November meal subsidies.
- December 29, 2018: ABU-TALIB secured ₦8,438,375 from FTC Kafanchan and ₦6,938,895.95 from FGC Kaduna for December meal subsidies.
- May 9, 2020: FGC Kaduna paid ₦6,664,250 for overhead costs.
- December 29, 2022: The company was awarded ₦26,283,701.92 for the provision of a 1.5 km solar street light at FGC Kaduna, which raised further questions about the company’s expertise in such projects.
The complete list of payments received by ABU-TALIB reveals a consistent pattern of contract awards, primarily for meal subsidies, ranging from ₦5 million to ₦9 million per month. Some of the most recent transactions include:
- July 2024: ABU-TALIB received ₦9,369,261 for meal subsidies from FGC Kaduna.
- August 2024: The company was paid ₦9,305,495.10 for meals provided to FGC Kaduna in May, and ₦6,728,942 for meal subsidies at FGC Zaria.
- May 2024: FGC Zaria paid ₦7,759,125 for meal subsidies, while FGC Kaduna paid ₦9,179,280 for similar services.
These repetitive transactions raise several concerns about the processes involved in awarding contracts. Were there open tenders for these contracts, or did ABU-TALIB leverage political connections to secure these payments? There are more qualified contractors capable of providing quality services at better rates, yet ABU-TALIB continues to dominate the meal subsidy sector within these schools.
The practice of politicians or politically connected individuals leveraging their influence to award contracts to their own companies is not limited to Faskari. Across Nigeria, this practice has become widespread, contributing to the inefficiency and corruption that plagues the country’s contracting system. In many cases, companies like ABU-TALIB that lack the capacity to deliver quality services are awarded contracts simply due to the political connections of their owners. This has resulted in substandard services, inflated contract sums, and an erosion of public trust in government institutions.
For instance, Section 19 of the Public Procurement Act clearly outlines the importance of transparency, accountability, and competition in the procurement process. Yet, in the case of ABU-TALIB, there is little evidence to suggest that these contracts were awarded based on merit or competitive bidding. Instead, the company’s political ties seem to have provided a fast track to receiving these lucrative contracts.
The revelation of the 63 transactions between Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) and ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd brings several pressing questions to the fore; first why was ABU-TALIB Investment Nigeria Ltd consistently awarded meal subsidy contracts despite the availability of other more qualified contractors?; Were there any competitive bids for these contracts, and if so, how did ABU-TALIB consistently outperform other bidders? And why has the Nigerian government allowed civil servants, like Faskari, to simultaneously operate private companies and receive government contracts in direct violation of the Nigerian Constitution?
Nigeria’s contracting process remains deeply flawed, susceptible to manipulation by politically connected individuals.
