No Mercy: Buhari Orders Probe of His Chief of Staff over N500 Million MTN Bribe

Abba Kyari

 

Following a strong report of bribery scandal involving South African owned MTN Telecommunications Company and Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari during which the latter allegedly benefited a mind-boggling sum of N500 million, the Presidency has beamed its searchlight on the corrupt act.

 

According to the Vanguard, there are indications that Alhaji Abba Kyari is under investigation by the Special Investigation Panel of the Nigerian Police Force over bribery allegations.

 

Mr. Kyari was alleged by online news platform, Sahara Reporters to have obtained a bribe to lobby for the reduction of the fine –  $5billion imposed on MTN for failing to block the sim cards of unregistered subscribers which adversely affected the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

 

Recall that the NCC, Nigeria’s telecoms regulator, slammed a $5 billion fine on MTN for failing to disconnect subscribers with unregistered phone lines bought before January 2012.

 

In 2011, the NCC mandated all telecoms operators in Nigeria to register all existing phone subscribers before a January 2012 deadline.

 

The NCC had ordered that all unregistered phone lines after the end of the registration process should be disconnected from operators’ networks.

 

But MTN Nigeria, the largest telecoms operator in Nigeria, failed to comply with NCC’s directive and this is believed to have facilitated activities of terrorists and kidnapping kingpins who perpetrated several of their murderous and nefarious acts that proved costly to the nation.

 

However, following the frustrations of the telecommunications giant’s bid to fight the huge fine imposition, firstly through the courts and later through diplomatic means, Sahara Rporters published a report on 20th September 2016, stating that officials of MTN gave a bribe of N500million to Alhaji Abba Kyari, to intervene and use his closeness to President Buhari, to influence the federal government to give MTN a safe landing.

 

Worried by the allegation, the Presidency is said to have directed the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to investigate the allegation and come out with findings regarding the accusation.