Blueprint Newspaper’s Board of Directors have returned the N9 million the organization received from former President Goodluck Jonathan. The funds were intended to be compensation for copies of the newspaper seized by security agents in 2014.
A SaharaReporters correspondent confirmed this development from a source at the Blueprint’s newsroom earlier today.
The decision to return the money was announced by the newspaper’s Executive Director Salisu Umar.
In 2014, Jonathan Administration funneled N120 million, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN). The payments were allegedly made in compensation for the seizure of the newspapers by security agencies.
The money was allegedly taken from the $2.1 billion which was intended to finance the war against Boko Haram. Instead, these funds were given to various individuals and organizations to help President Jonathan’s 2015 re-election bid by former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki.
Several other newspapers that received money from the ONSA have already sent the money back.
Mr. Umar confirmed the payment by noting a a Guarantee Trust Bank Draft which indicated that N9 million had been paid back.
The full statement regarding the repayment can be found below.
“The infraction on the rights of some newspapers by some agents of the Federal Government was widely reported in 2014. Specifically, the said agents seized numerous copies of the affected newspapers, including Blueprint.
“And in line with the dictates of the rule of law, the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the affected members chose to head to court for redress.
“In its wisdom however, the Federal Government led by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, after a peace parley with the NPAN leadership, agreed to an out-of-court settlement, consequent upon which the affected media organisations , including Blueprint Newspaper, got N9 million each.
“This decision, to any reasonable mind is very much in order as it simply demonstrated that the Federal Government rightfully admitted its wrongdoing.
“However, in view of the unfolding development surrounding the arms deal investigation, which supposedly revealed that the restitution was paid from fund set aside for arms deal, the Board of Directors, has refunded same (N9 million) via a GTB bank draft No 04378726, drawn in NPAN’s name, dated February 1, 2016, and forwarded to NPAN Secretariat. In the least, this will certainly put to rest some misgivings that have been on over the compensation paid to media owners
“May we also add here that more than any other thing, the board considers this a great sacrifice if that would only uphold the integrity of the media as a member of the Fourth Estate of the Realm and the true watchdog of the society.
“Finally, we shall continue to abide by NPAN’s decision on this and any other matter bordering on its members’ interest.”
*How many have returned and who is next?Return before EFCC calls you out oooh.Well done guys!
Who's counting?
ReplyDeleteDrama
ReplyDeleteWhy are they acceptimg the returns and not sending them to jail choi only in nigeria
ReplyDeleteGood to know. When will EFCC and Buhari call the Abachas and IBB out? They are still sitting on billions of looted dollars
ReplyDeleteEnd time shaky shaky fear fear media house
ReplyDeleteAnd some people are still saying Dansuki gate is a scam. Our former president sha, I don't even know what to say. From which account did he order all this money be paid from.
ReplyDeleteOshi ma kan Jona, waiting for EFCC.
Only the brainless are still thinking in that direction
DeleteBetter.
ReplyDeleteGood for them.
ReplyDeleteWay to go.
ReplyDeleteSo some of them dey fear like this?
ReplyDeleteNice one.
Banks should start returning those unnecessary charges too
End time loot
ReplyDeleteOk!
ReplyDeleteHow about d ones given to
Obas
Igwes
Obi
From diff region wen r dey returning our money?
Yet some feel the Dasukigate is a scam. Where then are all these people getting the funds to pay back from?
ReplyDeleteThey should keep returning please.
ReplyDeleteYour comment will be visible after approval.
The alleged $2.1b scandal is actually deeper than I thought..I mean,since the alleged amount actually meant to purchase arms to enable the Nigeria force fight BokoHaram, was misappropriated for an entirely different purpose "Instead, these funds were given to various individuals and organizations to help President Jonathan’s 2015 re-election bid by former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki...
ReplyDeleteFrom my legal school of thought without fear,tremble and sentiment,it is ideal that the past administrative leader is brought to book..
Poco a Poco.We are getting there.
DeleteALL these money they are returning, i hope it will improve our budget
ReplyDeleteCAN YOU WRITE? THE, COME ON HERE
they should all start returning all before EFCC get to their door steps. this is d season of truth.
ReplyDeletePls what does the"Gate" in DasukiGate stand for? Sdk pls lecture me abeg
ReplyDeleteIt means an open and close something jare.
DeleteLike when you say 'abracadabra' you know or 'pishaun''pishaun'.
So when Dasuki opened the gate, he appeared.
Now we await the closing of the gate peradventure he closes it.
Hope this helps.
The 'gate' is derived from the Watergate scandal of the United States during the 1970s. The scandal led to the resignation of the President at the time. Nixon I think.
DeleteMedia houses returning, fear of public embarrassment and they are attributing it to integrity. When will whichever online blogger that they mentioned in this sharing return, whoever the person seems to be before Efcc calls he/she out.
ReplyDeleteHow does this concern you? Iche okay. People are using the internet to make money, you are using it to drop comments like rabbit poop.
DeleteNa wa. Newspaper houses... the fear of EFCC is the beginning of physical wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI hope somebody is in charge of counting and receiving the return stolen money before we here another mr GATE.
ReplyDelete