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–Accuses Water resources ministry
The National President of the Nigerian Association of Auctioneers, Alhaji Musa Kurra, has alleged a coordinated scheme by officials of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to illicitly remove high-value government assets from the Farin Ruwa Hydro Power Project in Nasarawa State, warning that the situation has escalated into a national legal crisis.
According to documents he released, Justice Mustapha A. Ramat of the Nasarawa State High Court issued a new restraining order on November 25, 2025, barring the removal or auction of any equipment from the project site. The court declared that further movement of assets would amount to a criminal offense. The High Court Registrar has since notified the DSS, the Police, and the NSCDC, directing them to enforce the order immediately.
The NSCDC has already intercepted one of the machines—a heavy-duty “D9”—as it was being transported out of the site in violation of the court directive. The seized equipment is now secured on the High Court premises, and several suspects linked to the attempted removal are in custody.
Tensions escalated further on the night of December 4, when unidentified military personnel reportedly arrived at the court premises in an attempt to forcibly retrieve the seized D9. NSCDC operatives and community members quickly mobilized, confronting the group and halting the operation near Akwanga. The failed nighttime removal attempt has intensified public concern over the scale and secrecy surrounding the asset movements.
Kurra says the events reveal “a dangerous pattern of total disrespect for the law,” accusing ministry officials of acting as though judicial directives and statutory procedures do not apply to them. Eyewitness accounts, he added, suggest a continued push to evacuate machinery from Farin Ruwa despite explicit court orders.
The Auctioneers Association further raised alarm about the complete lack of financial documentation. Kurra noted that equipment is being moved without valuation reports, auction records, receipts, or evidence of payment into the Treasury Single Account—violations that point toward “organized diversion of public assets for private gain.”
He stressed that the Ministry’s actions breach Sections 55 and 56 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, which mandate transparency, open competition, and the use of licensed auctioneers for the disposal of government property. Conducting undocumented, clandestine removals, he said, eliminates all safeguards intended to curb corruption.
Kurra warned that the conduct undermines President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places accountability and respect for the rule of law at its core. Disregard for court rulings and procurement rules, he cautioned, sends “a dangerous signal” that corruption can thrive unchallenged within federal institutions.
He praised the Nasarawa State High Court for its firm stance and commended the NSCDC for its swift enforcement actions and refusal to yield during the attempted midnight retrieval. Continued vigilance by security agencies and the judiciary, he insisted, will be essential in protecting public assets and restoring public confidence in government institutions.
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