EKO NEWS
How Lagos Commissioner Was Redeployed After 4 Pilgrims Absconded In Jerusalem
It will be recalled that Governor of Lagos, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu recently carried out a surprise cabinet reshuffle which saw some key members of his team moved from their former ministries to new offices.
Details have however emerged as to the reasons for the redeployment of the former Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf from the ministry to that of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
A source in the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs disclosed that among several infractions, Akinbile-Yussuf orchestrated the cover up of four Lagos State pilgrims who absconded while on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Israel. The runaway pilgrims were reportedly members of batch one and two pilgrims who traveled to Jerusalem with the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Board in December 2019.
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When the Lagos State delegation, led by the Commissioner reported the case, one of those who absconded was apprehended by the Israeli authorities and immediately deported back to Nigeria while the other three absconders are still at large.
Investigations also revealed that Dr. Joseph Chibuogwu, a representative of the Director in Charge, Nigerian Pilgrims Commission, confirmed the development.
It was also gathered that prior to the commencement of the airlift of pilgrims to the Holy Land, the Home Affairs Commissioner; Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf had practically usurped the statutory roles of the Permanent Secretary; Mrs. Adebunmi Adekanye in the ministry by single-handedly allocating sponsored pilgrimage slots to her cronies. She also allegedly withdrew slots approved by the Governor for journalists and when the issue came up she reportedly called their bluff.
The ministry source who spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of persecution said Akinbile-Yussuf also unilaterally allocated a slot to herself for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem despite the fact that she is a Muslim and the Permanent Secretary who incidentally is a Christian was shut out of the pilgrimage!
Another source said her redeployment might not be unconnected with several other issues related to her penchant for administering her office by fiat and issuing military-like orders.
It will be recalled that during her first appointment by former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in 2015, she issued a memo stating that she must be addressed as Pharmacist (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf (despite the fact that her appointment had nothing to do with her discipline and the prefix itself is not even a title). She later went on to become Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment in 2018.
The events of the past and the recent pilgrimage scandal should ordinarily have ensured her exit from office but light skinned politician is reportedly favored by the powers that be in the APC, hence the inability of either Ambode or Sanwo-Olu to take any drastic action against her.
Credit: opera.com
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