The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu, is currently at the centre of swinging controversy of an alleged over bloated staff and mismanagement of funds.

Yadudu, who was appointed in May, 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari is being accused of nepotism, abuse of office and sundry fraudulent dealings involving millions of naira.

Findings revealed that no sooner he resumed office, he engaged in massive recruitment of cronies, including relatives and friends, who are used as conduit pipes for shady deals and transactions on behalf of the organisation.

For instance, Captain Yadudu, who took over from Saleh Dunoma has a staff strength of 32 staffers attached to him in his official capacity as MD. His personal staff consist of two staff on grade level 16, three on level 14, three on level 13, four on level 12, four on level 10, three on 9, three drivers, among retinue of five security officers, and others.

In a document sighted by the Street Journal, these staff periodically shared various sums of money, between N300,000 and N10,000, depending on the grade level, monies suspected to be shares from their numerous deals.

In another instance, Aura Nehimiah Ayuba, Ag. MD (COS to MD/CEO), got N500,000, while one Alphonse Monica Richard, DGM (SA to MD/CEO) also on grade level 16, received N500,000.

Others who got from the largesse, include Peter Ubong Ishmeal, Chief Conf. Sec. (MD), N500,000; Muhammed Bashir Jamilu Abass, CSO (MD/CEO), N100,000; Mukhtar Lamir Hassan, ACB/WHCO, N100,000; among others. The total money shared was N3,720,000.

Also in another detailed document, the same set of staff shared among themselves, N5, 300, 000, under the guise of allowances.

In a detailed narrative, the FAAN boss was accused of

1. approving the cost of constructing a one-bedroom quadrupulets in Kaduna airport at N35m

2. installation of DSTV in the MD’s official residence at N4.8m

3. approving the supply of explosive detector machines at N117m

4. installation of damaged CCTV in his official residence at the cost of N1.7m, among many other weighty allegations.

In another document sighted by this magazine, dated 02/08/2019, a company by name, Poppy Solutions Limited supplied Apros JAC Bus Tyres for all the airports at a cost of N48,720,000.00.

In the same period another company, Particulars Engineering Services Ltd, supplied tractors and Slashes for NMIA, Lagos, with N49,877,520.

A company, Extotolar Ventures Ltd, also supplied air conditioners for mechanical and civil building departments HQ at the cost of N2,258,077.

Also, Vesta Multilink Projects & Construction Ltd supplied and installed 300KVA (11/0.415) KV transformer and other associated power equipment for the creation of new 11kv power substation to serve both the fire and water stations with the sum of N59,267,003.55.

These sums are far higher than what is obtainable in the open market.

Yadudu, who before his appointment was the immediate past Director of Airport Operations of the FAAN, his appointment came as a surprise to many people in the sector who believed he was part of the system that needed sanitisation.

SMS messages and calls to the

Corporate Affairs Manager for FAAN, Herietta Yakubu, did not respond to text messages and calls to her mobile line requesting for their side to the allegations at the time of filing this report.

Source- Streetjournal