By Yemi Monday, Bauchi
- NATCOM says nobody suspended Dr Mohammed, urge Transparency Group to be transparent, fair
The Nigerian Transparency Group has been berated for taking a “biased and unfair decision” on the Director General of the National Commission for the Proliferation of Small and Large Weapons Commission (NATCOM), Dr Baba Mohammed over his alleged suspension.
Dismissing the publication by the Nigerian Transparency Group that Dr Mohammed has been suspended as DG of NATCOM over alleged corruption, the Commission said it is the figment of the imagination of the writers.
NATCOM Deputy Director, Training, Ambassador Shedrach Bamaiyi, told journalists at the NUJ Press Centre Bauchi on Tuesday that there is no truth in the allegations leveled against Dr Baba Mohammed.
According to him: “Actually, it was disheartening for a group that calls itself transparency not to be transparent in its dealings. By saying not transparent enough, at least the rule of fair justice should be applied in every aspect of life. Had they have the views of Dr Baba Mohammed, did they make a research on the issue?
“If there is an allegation against somebody, he should be given a fair hearing. Did they even find a neutral ground to find out if the allegations are true or have they sat down with any of the National leadership of the Commission or with anybody in the Commission to discuss the issue in order to find out the truth before making the publication. That is the reason I said that it is really disheartening.”
“Dr Baba Mohammed has not been suspended. There is a faction in the Commission and that faction sometimes ago sat and passed a vote of no confidence on Baba Mohammed. The faction involved only Council of State Directors of NATCOM. In every Agency, there is leadership issue.”
“In NATCOM, we have the Board of Directors, National Directors, Zonal Directors before the State Directors. Please, can a young baby overtake its parents. This is just about personal interest that led them into that.”
“And after passing the vote of no confidence, there was press conference held by the Commission invloving every organ mentioned above which NEC passed a vote of confidence on Dr Baba Mohammed leadership.
“Please, I want you to understand me clearly on this issue. Dr Baba Mohammed pushed for a Bill at the National Assembly to transform NATFORCE into NATCOM for the Commission to have a legal backing personally with his sweat, resources and his time.”
Shedrach Bamaiyi added: “He went alone and defended the Bill at the National Assembly which in its wisdom found it worthy that the Bill will help Nigeria and Nigerians and decided to pass it into law. Can such a person be level with allegations without fair hearing. Haba, this is unfair.
“The stand of the National leadership of NATCOM is one. There is a subsisting vote of confidence on Dr Baba Mohammed, these people that are involved in the other factions have been suspended and a statement to that effect issued to the general public.
“There are a lot of allegations against them, in fact, the new person they are claiming to be their DG has an EFCC case and he is on an administrative bail. Is it that person that is more transparent than Dr Baba Mohammed.
“On a sincere note, when you have a personal issue with someone, your personal interest should not superceed the National collective interest of Nigerians. This is something that we can sit down, discuss and settle.
“Dr Baba Mohammed suspended these people because he wanted to clean the Commission from the rot of the past administration and that is the reason the reason they are angry and started to make all these frivolous and meaningless allegations.”
He then called saying,”My call to the so called transparency group is, simply because you are a transparency group, you will do just things anyhow, be transparent enough and let people see your transparency and understand that you are indeed transparent. You can not just get one side and make a conclusion about it.”
“They should have come to the Commission, Dr Baba Mohammed is a free person who operates an open door, get his own side, meet other neutral persons and then make a conclusion,” he further said.
He then asked, “Can a personal interest override national interest? No, use your name, transparency and be transparent not just about this Commission but on any other issue that you are handling in future.
“Make your findings, get the truth, not that some people will feed you with some certain information that are false and use it to tarnish good image of a person. Dr Baba Mohammed has held many positions in the country.”
The Deputy Director concluded: “As far as NATCOM is concerned, Dr Baba Mohammed remains the DG and leader of the Commission. Nobody has suspended him from office. Very soon, the truth shall be known and made public.”