Betta-Gate Scandal: Interior Minister's Company Receives N438 Million in 'Consultancy Fees', other Fictitious Companies Benefit

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, led by the suspended minister Betta Edu, has come under scrutiny as it's revealed that a company owned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, received a total of N438.1 million for consultancy services. New Planet Project Limited, owned by Tunji-Ojo, was among several consultants awarded contracts from the N3 billion allocated by the ministry for the National Social Register project, designed for cash transfers and social investment programs.

According to documents shared by media platform Pointblank News, Tunji-Ojo's company received an initial payment of N279 million for list verification and an additional N159 million for the same purpose. The firm, registered in 2009, lists the interior minister and his wife as directors, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.

This financial transaction appears to violate the Nigerian Constitution and Code of Conduct laws, specifically sections 5 and 6, which prohibit public officers from engaging in conflicts of interest and participating in businesses other than farming.

The N3 billion contract also benefited other companies, including Fabunmi Olanipekun & Co., Vintsolve Global Consult, Periscope Consulting, Blue Trend Enterprise, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services, Memak Nigeria Limited, MC Van Management Consult Limited, and Danzinger Nigeria Limited. These companies claimed to have verified 11 million homes in Nigeria within a month.

ctcc: Sahara 

“Other companies that benefitted from the N3billion contracts are: Blue Trend Enterprise-N277.8million.

“Blue trend, has no record of being registered and the owner is unknown. Periscope Consulting-N277million. Periscope Consulting, with registration number 1053019, registered on July 24, 2012, is owned by one Ngozi Maureen Ojiego, known for Interior Decoration. Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services Ltd-N277million.

“Laitop with registration number 1340092, is owned by one Quburat Bolanle Bolanta. It was registered on June 6, 2016. Memak Nigeria Limited with no known ownership and date of registration got NN277million.

 

“MC Van Management Consult Limited with no records of registration also got N275.8million contract while Danzinger Nigeria Limited with registration number 635448, registered on Sep 23, 2005got N275.8million. Danzinger is owned by one Oladapo Rotimi Mohammed.

 

“All the contractors claimed they verified 11 million homes in Nigeria under one month,” 

Ude stated in a Twitter post

A source suggests that the interior minister may have secured the contract through his former aide, Thalis Apalowo, who played a significant role in lobbying for Apalowo's appointment as the coordinator of the National Programme Manager under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Apalowo, previously a legislative aide to Tunji-Ojo, was part of the minister's advanced team and received funds for travel expenses, raising concerns about possible connections between the minister and the awarded contracts.

In a separate report, it was revealed that Edu, the suspended minister, instructed public funds to be sent to a private account and approved disbursement of over half a billion Naira into a personal account. President Tinubu has responded to these allegations by suspending Edu and initiating an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities within the ministry.