Senator Ishaku Abbo
By Anthony Maliki
Senator representing Adamawa Northern Senatorial District Zone, Ishaku Abbo in a 40 minute live transmission via his official Facebook profile said that the police are investigating one of his personal assistants, Zaman Abasiriyu for alleged impersonation and forgery.
Zaman who was top on the list of Navy officer’s shortlist last year was arrested on June 1, 2020 following allegations of forgery and impersonating the Senator.
According to reports from the office of his media aide made available to Apex News Exclusive on Sunday, the PA is being accused of using the letterhead documents of his principal to forge letters to MDAs in Abuja, demanding award of contracts and employment for unsuspecting persons he extorts monies from.
Zaman alleged criminal activities using the office of the Senator dates back to October 2019, when his principal was accused of obtaining N2million fraudulently.
“The police was petitioned from Lagos” the senator said. The State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti in Lagos was “petitioned against me, a case of obtaining money by fraud against Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo.”
The Senator said when he went through, he discovered that people put up his picture on Facebook, soliciting for money and names were called.
“Along the line I started investigating. This thing I am saying is documented. My PA was involved,” Senator Abbo noted.
“The police was petitioned from Lagos” the senator said. The State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti in Lagos was “petitioned against me, a case of obtaining money by fraud against Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo.”
The Senator said when he went through, he discovered that people put up his picture on Facebook, soliciting for money and names were called.
“Along the line I started investigating. This thing I am saying is documented. My PA was involved,” Senator Abbo noted.
He further said “What I am saying is actually written, we even chatted on WhatsApp. I told the woman who is incidentally a Margi number. I said my PA is your brother. My PA cannot steal. She said Ok, this is the number we are communicating on and she gave me the number.
“I never know him with that number, when we put it on, true caller identified it was my son. I called him and asked him what is happening he said he doesn’t know anything.
“I told the women we would find a way in which we can sort out. Since October last year I have been following events watching them closely.
“News started flying about that I, Senator Abbo collect money from my constituents, from people in my village before I give them jobs in Abuja, what an insult.”
According to Abbo, it was too much for him to swallow and was unbearable to accuse him of stealing.
“I never know him with that number, when we put it on, true caller identified it was my son. I called him and asked him what is happening he said he doesn’t know anything.
“I told the women we would find a way in which we can sort out. Since October last year I have been following events watching them closely.
“News started flying about that I, Senator Abbo collect money from my constituents, from people in my village before I give them jobs in Abuja, what an insult.”
According to Abbo, it was too much for him to swallow and was unbearable to accuse him of stealing.
He explained that “few days ago, we received credible information that my PA registered company” which he said uses the letterhead of his office bearing his name and forged signature writing to Ministries, Departments and Agencies “to solicit for contracts. That I am nominating the companies for jobs.
“There are some things here that you don’t know, I was accused of obtaining money by false pretense, I was accused of taking money from my constituents to give them jobs and now my letter head paper is flying about that I am soliciting for contracts to a particular company,” he said.
Abbo mentioned that “the former Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency Bala Ngilari went to prison, not because he was guilty, but there was an alleged infringement on the procurement processes of Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).
“As a Governor, as a Senator, as a commissioner, as a Member House of Representatives, you have no right to take a letter from your office asking an agency that I am nominating your company for a contract somewhere” saying “it means you are trying to use your office to influence procurement process. It is actually a punishable offence. You’re going to prison. I can’t be here and go to prison for anybody.
“Now the worst happened, I received a call from National Headquarters of SSS, that I, Senator Ishaku Abbo, that the letter I sent to them asking for recruitment, that they are not recruiting, that when they start, they would get to me through the committee chairman on national security.
“I was alarmed, me, send letter to DSS? I have never done that. If I want to write a letter, I would write a letter to the chairman committee of that ministry.
Abbo mentioned that “the former Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency Bala Ngilari went to prison, not because he was guilty, but there was an alleged infringement on the procurement processes of Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).
“As a Governor, as a Senator, as a commissioner, as a Member House of Representatives, you have no right to take a letter from your office asking an agency that I am nominating your company for a contract somewhere” saying “it means you are trying to use your office to influence procurement process. It is actually a punishable offence. You’re going to prison. I can’t be here and go to prison for anybody.
“Now the worst happened, I received a call from National Headquarters of SSS, that I, Senator Ishaku Abbo, that the letter I sent to them asking for recruitment, that they are not recruiting, that when they start, they would get to me through the committee chairman on national security.
“I was alarmed, me, send letter to DSS? I have never done that. If I want to write a letter, I would write a letter to the chairman committee of that ministry.
The Senator further cautioned that “if there is anything I hate is for one to disrespect my letter headed paper. Even in my own company, because I was an MD of a company before I got to this place; a company I founded when I was virtually young, I don’t want somebody to take my letterhead paper and shred it. I don’t like it. So I go to you and we discuss.
“When the SSS called me that the employment I asked for… they would inform me, I got alarmed. I called the police. I said come, I found out and I said let me see the copy of the letter.
“I went with the police, and I started checking for my things. That’s where I discovered acknowledgment copies of letters sent out with my forged signature on my official letterhead paper. When it happened we went and locked him up.”
Other missing personal effects of the Senator including wrist watches and fabricated duplicate keys to the Senator’s office at the National Assembly was also found.
The senator claimed to have a recorded his conversion with Zaman’s elder brother, Ijai Abasiriyu where he was pleading on behalf of his brother.
“I said ok, this is not the matter of begging, please come to Abuja. I want you to come and see what your brother did. Come and see what he did, so that you would advise him let him know that there is law, he said.
“When the SSS called me that the employment I asked for… they would inform me, I got alarmed. I called the police. I said come, I found out and I said let me see the copy of the letter.
“I went with the police, and I started checking for my things. That’s where I discovered acknowledgment copies of letters sent out with my forged signature on my official letterhead paper. When it happened we went and locked him up.”
Other missing personal effects of the Senator including wrist watches and fabricated duplicate keys to the Senator’s office at the National Assembly was also found.
The senator claimed to have a recorded his conversion with Zaman’s elder brother, Ijai Abasiriyu where he was pleading on behalf of his brother.
“I said ok, this is not the matter of begging, please come to Abuja. I want you to come and see what your brother did. Come and see what he did, so that you would advise him let him know that there is law, he said.
According to Abbo he started saying that “they are suffering in Madagali because of me, because his family are supporting me that’s why Governor Fintiri doesn’t love them, they are third class citizens.”
“Don’t politicized this for me” Abbo cautioned Ijai.
“So many people are making political meal out of my political misunderstanding with the Governor. I’m his senator, he is my Governor, whether I like it or not he is my Governor, whether he likes it or not I am his senator. He contributed for my campaign I contributed also for his campaign.”
“I said don’t politicize the issue, come down, He said he won’t come. I said Ok” Abbo revealed.
Continuing, the senator said that “Before I woke up from sleep, he went on Facebook #FREEZAMAN! I brought thugs to the house and I supervised his beating, I did this. I was shocked. When I look at it, I refused to respond.”
According to the senator, he decided to open up for one reason. My PA said that I paid last week his salary hired me a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, what happened sir? When we put him on watch list, we discovered he bought a car yesterday.”
Abbo mentioned that he discovered that letters were flying all over the place. “How can a small boy forge the letterhead of a senator and write to DG, SSS, the number one secret police of this country?”
According to the Senator, Zaman is the only person having access to his mobile phone passwords including his social media account.
Information indicated that Zaman after complained dissociating himself from letters coming from the Senator’s office to MDAs in Abuja was released on bail claiming that the Senator’s cousin, Ephraim was involved in writing and submitting the letters.
Meanwhile, the PA’s friends have already launched a social media campaign, #FREEZAMAN, accusing the Senator of highhandedness. They accused the Senator of leading thugs to beat up his PA, claiming “for supporting Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Zaman kinsman from Madagali.
Recall that Senator Abbo recently fell out with Adamawa governor following political disagreements. The group campaigning for Zaman says the Senator’s anger was borne out of his PA’s perceived support for Fintiri who comes from Madagali as Zaman.
According to the Senator, Zaman is the only person having access to his mobile phone passwords including his social media account.
Information indicated that Zaman after complained dissociating himself from letters coming from the Senator’s office to MDAs in Abuja was released on bail claiming that the Senator’s cousin, Ephraim was involved in writing and submitting the letters.
Meanwhile, the PA’s friends have already launched a social media campaign, #FREEZAMAN, accusing the Senator of highhandedness. They accused the Senator of leading thugs to beat up his PA, claiming “for supporting Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Zaman kinsman from Madagali.
Recall that Senator Abbo recently fell out with Adamawa governor following political disagreements. The group campaigning for Zaman says the Senator’s anger was borne out of his PA’s perceived support for Fintiri who comes from Madagali as Zaman.
