Rivers monarch gets suspension over N3bn electrification funds

The Ikuru Town General Assembly in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has suspended its Paramount Ruler, HRM King Aaron Miller Ikuru, over alleged embezzlement of N3 billion meant for community electrification.

The suspension follows allegations of failure to appear before a constituted panel of inquiry to account for N3 billion given by the oil operator in the area, Green Energy International Limited, for the electrification project and alleged sponsorship of cultism.

Elder Gad Uwa, Secretary of the panel, who announced the suspension in a statement, cited the monarch’s failure to respond to multiple invitations to account for the funds in the last six months.

Uwa said the Ikuru Town Community Panel, under section 138 of the constitution of Ikuru Town 1996, acted within its powers to seek an explanation of the monarch of his role in the funds.

The statement reads in part, “As you are aware, your Six-Month suspension by the Ikuru Town General Assembly, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon the Assembly by Section 81 of the Constitution of Ikuru Town, 1996, has recently elapsed.

“However, during the last general congress meeting, the Assembly unanimously voted to extend your suspension indefinitely, due to your failure to honor or respond to multiple invitations to account for over N3billion, that accrued to the community during the period under investigation.”

According to the statement, the King is also to be quizzed on allegations of sponsorship of cultism spearheaded by his stepson, who allegedly facilitated the importation of

dynamites and suspected cultists armed with other explosive devices into the community.

The panel’s invitation, according to the statement, “is issued in exercise of the powers conferred on the Ikuru Town Assembly in Section 55 (1) of the Constitution of Ikuru Town, 1996, which empowers the community to recover any funds belonging to the community that may have been misappropriated.”

The statement further explained that the panel was inviting the monarch as part of its efforts to also unravel the mystery of the alleged disappearance of the most recent payment of N210million received from Green Energy International Limited as a fine.