he House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption has summoned the Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, over alleged multi-billion-naira fraud perpetrated under his watch in the agency.

The summons followed a petition by the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV), alleging the perpetration of several improprieties by the Ahmad-led management team including a purported N1.5 billion fraud in the electricity agency recently.

In the letter addressed to the REA boss signed by the Committee Clerk, Adeji S. Gideon for the Chairman, Hon. Kayode Moshood Akiolu, it informed Ahmad of its commencement of an investigation into allegations of fraud, criminal conspiracy and diversion of public funds levelled against him and about 15 others.

The letter dated October 11, 2023, is titled ‘Re: Fraud, Criminal Conspiracy And Diversion Of Public Funds In Rural Electrification Agency Under Ahmad Salihjo Ahmad’s Leadership’.

In the letter sighted by our correspondent, Ahmad was directed to be at the National Assembly on Friday, October 13, 2023, to face a panel.

The letter reads, The Committee has commenced full investigation proceedings and consequently, you are hereby invited to appear as follows Date: Friday, 13th, October, 2023; Time: 10.00 am Prompt; Venue: Suite 4.82, New Building, House of Representatives, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

“Your written response and any other documents should be in seven (7) hard copies and one (1) soft copy.”

The REA MD has been in the news for the wrong reasons bordering on alleged financial improprieties of various sorts.

In May, a petition against Ahmad was sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The allegations bordered on money laundering and breach of the Public Procurement Act.

He was also expected to appear before the Code of Conduct Bureau Tribunal for alleged violation of Public Service Rule and failure to resign his directorship in Velocity Logistics, a claim he denied.

It had earlier been reported that the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA was also accused of awarding his own company a job of N200 million.

Ahmad earlier made headlines for operating 37 bank accounts, with all linked to his Bank Verification Number, 2226642****.

A civil society organisation, the Fight Against Corruption Network, FACN, had also called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate and prosecute the REA boss through a statement issued by its Executive Director, Ayoola Bakare.

“Ahmad has two in Standard Chartered Bank with the account name, Needle Technology, and five in GTBank in the same name, while in his personal name, with variations in the order of the three names, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, he has six with GTBANK, four with First Bank, one with UBA, three with Fidelity, one in Stanbic IBTC with the account name, Salihijo Ahmad Foundation.

“Others in his name are one in Jaiz Bank, two at Access Bank, four at First Bank and two at Eco Bank. Some of the accounts have just two names of the operator. Also found linked to the REA MD’s BVN are two GTBANK accounts of a non-governmental organisation, Flexisaf Foundation, two in Jaiz Bank with name, Flexisaf Edusoft Ltd, another, Velocity Group Ltd in Keystone Bank, one En Consulting and Projects Ltd in First Bank.

“The others are two under the name of his wife, Bilikisu Ahmad Salihijo domiciled in Zenith Bank and Jaiz Bank with all the aforementioned accounts criminally opened with different dates of birth of the operator: October 20, 1983, July 27, 2009, January 1, 1989, May 3, 2012, January 29, 2015, August 24, 1985, March 30, 2004 among others,” Bakare had written.

However, contrary to earlier reports that one of the account names is that of Ahmad’s wife, a source told SaharaReporters that the name, Bilikisu Ahmad Salihijo, was his mother’s.