Prof. Maxwell Michael Gidado (SAN), who is the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has allegedly defrauded some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to the tune of N1.5 million.
One Sabastine Ooya, acting on behalf of the alleged defrauded IDPs, told our correspondent that Gidado in 2021, while serving as Governor Fintiri’s Chief of Staff, collected the sum of N1.5 million to help enlist 14 displaced persons into the state civil service.
He, however, lamented that three years on, the displaced persons had neither been employed as agreed nor had their monies refunded.
He further lamented that the applicants comprised largely young widows and orphans who lost their spouses or parents during the Boko Haram invasion of northern Adamawa State.
According to him, they coughed up their hard-earned money to seek a better life but were allegedly swindled through the job racketeering.
He said, “They have been left stranded with nothing to fall back to.”
Those allegedly defrauded are Suleiman Donald (M), BSc Management; Kwademishi Tumba (F) BSc Business Education; Adam Sani (M), BSc Political Science; Godfrey Peter T. (M) BSc Economics; Yunana Lissafi (M) BSc Statistics/OR.
Others are Kauna Raymond, (F) NCE Hausa Language; Ladi Yaro (F) NCE, CRS; Lydia Musa (F) NCE, Agric; Sarah Ironsi (F), NCE Business Education; Blessing Pembi (F) Geography; Fidelis Felix (M) NCE Geography; Mercy Bitrus (F) NCE Geography/Bio; Kwaji Zira (M) ND Education (CRS) and Jummai Danladi (F) NCE Agric.
Bank wire transfers seen by NewMailNG indicated that Sabastine Ooya paid a total of N1.5 million in two instalments into the account of Gidado.
“As I speak with you, these IDPs had not been provided with any employment as agreed before we paid N1.5 to him (Professor Gidado); sadly, he has refused to refund their money.
“At a point, I took him to court, but because he’s a big man, a professor of law, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for that matter, we were advised by the judge to consider alternative dispute resolution; that is, settlement out of court.
“On September 29, 2023, I withdrew the case as instituted, but ever since he has not answered my calls or wanted to discuss how he would refund the money,” Ooya said.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that, at about the time claimed by Ooya, the Adamawa State Government had opened an employment portal for qualified indigenes. Several persons including those allegedly defrauded above, applied.
However, Governor Fintiri later suspended the process following several complaints of racketeering. The governor also replaced Prof. Gidado with Dr. Edgar Amos as his Chief of Staff after he was inaugurated for a second term.
When contacted, Gidado, who acknowledged the matter, declined to respond with details. He said, “The matter is still before the court, so I can’t speak further.”
However, NewMailNG can confirm seeing documents indicating that the case was withdrawn on September 29, 2023, to allow for an out-of-court settlement.
