Senate President, Bukola Saraki yesterday said the senate will not go back on the probe of the alleged N25bn fraudulently paid as commission to an e-collection firm, REMITA for the Treasury Single Account, TSA, in spite of alleged media blackmails.
Saraki, gave the assurance while reacting to a motion moved by Senator Dino Melaye concerning a newspaper article allegedly blackmailing the upper legislative chamber investigating the alleged fraud.
It was revealed during a motion on November 11 that REMITA collected N25bn in one day as one per cent commission of monies for the services of the firm for the collection of the TSA funds.
Following that revelation, the senate directed its Committees on Finance, Banking and other Financial Institutions and Public Accounts to investigate the matter and report back in two weeks.
Saraki yesterday vowed that no amount of intimidation will stop the Senate from investigating the alleged fraud, explaining that it was part of its constitutional duties to point out any individual or group’s action that would be injurious to the country.
Saraki who later referred the write-up and letters cited by Melaye to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for thorough investigation added that committees to carry out the needed probe on the alleged commission would soon be inaugurated.
Melaye, while raising the motion, expressed concern over the write-up, which alleged that the Senate was working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort to implement the TSA.
He pointed out that it was the motion on the alleged TSA fraud and decision of the Senate to probe it that led SystemSpecs to refund the one per cent it collected from mopped up funds to Central Bank of Nigeria
