Posted by By Isaac Olamikan in Yenagoa on
The secretary to the Bayelsa State Government (SSG), Dr. Steve Azaiki, is in the center of a N30 million land scam.
The secretary to the Bayelsa State Government (SSG), Dr. Steve Azaiki, is in the center of a N30 million land scam.
Usually reliable sources told Telegraph correspondent that the SSG in his desire to get 2 plots of land in Agudama-Epie, a community in Yenagoa, fell into the trap of an ex-tocal government council boss (name withheld) who tricked him into parting with N30million on the claim that the piece of land he (the SSG) desired belonged to him.
The former council boss, who was in office in the last dispensation, was said to have convinced Dr. Azaiki that his commission for the deal was 10% of the total cost of the land which is N3 million. He promptly collected the money upfront.
The bank transaction for the N27 million was through the Oceanic Bank, Yenagoa branch but knowing that the manager of the bank is a relative of his and would blow the lid off the scam, the ex-council boss bypassed him.
However, the manager eventually got to know and the ex-LG boss knowing that he was in a fix confessed that the land in question belonged to the family.
Dr. Azaiki was promptly contacted and he ordered that the management of the bank should not honour the cheque while plans were put in place to arrest the dubious ex-council chairman turned land speculator so as to cough out the N3 million already in his possession.
Meanwhile, the extended family of the ex-council chairman would be holding a meeting today to deliberate on his action and take a stand on the next line of action to be taken against him.
It would be recalled that some months ago, Dr. Azaiki was also involved in another land matter in Akenpai, another community situated in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
Presently, the Zonal command of the Police in Benin is handling the case.