A Public Relations Consultant, Yushau Shuaib, has revealed how the nation’s security agencies, at different times, tracked huge sums of local and foreign currencies at different times ahead of the 2015 elections.
He said the monies belonged to both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
This is contained in his new book ‘An Encounter with the Spymaster’, which Shuaib described as a “collection of my articles written between March 2013 and June 2017 and published on top Nigerian media organisations including DAILY POST, ThisDay, Vanguard, among others.”
Shuaib also narrated how he was prematurely retired from the civil service for daring to publish a memo to the then Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on lopsided appointments in the Economic sector.
He wrote: “After the publication of the Memo, Dr Okonjo-Iweala reported me to President Goodluck Jonathan over the article. The Presidency, after that, instructed that appropriate measures should be taken against me.
“At that period, some great acquaintances including Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, Danladi Kifasi and Ifueko Omoigui Okauru among others, waded into the matter for an amicable resolution. Even Mallam Garba Shehu and others intimated me of fantastic job offers. Though I politely declined to apologise to Ngozi or accept new jobs, I nevertheless appreciated their concern and efforts.
“In compliance with the presidential directive, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Bukar Goni Aji directed the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku to take an immediate action. In his official letter dated April 16, 2013, with a Reference No: HCSF/PSO/AOD/890, Aji wrote: “I write to request that your Ministry commence disciplinary procedure in line with Mr. Presidents’ (sic) directive against Yushau Shuaib currently serving at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).”
“Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Information in a backdated Letter of Recall dated April 11, 2013, with a Reference No FMIC/PIPD/ABJ/D/165 deceptively claimed that “following a reorganisation exercise approved by the Minister, you have been recalled to the Headquarters with immediate effect for further posting instructions.”
“In their desperate attempt to satisfy the Presidency and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala over the said publication, Directors in the Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) met under the Senior Staff Committee (SSE) and recommended the termination of my appointment from the public service after I had responded to their query.
“The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) was alarmed by the recommendation of FMI and insisted that the due process should be followed. In a letter signed by Hon. Commissioner V. A. Olabimtan dated May 21, 2013, with reference No: FC.6318/S.1/69/173, FCSC queried FMI thus: “The query given to Yushau Shuaib was vague, not specific and did not address the issue on the ground properly as the preliminary letter did not mention the name of the top public officer the said article had addressed. The Commission finds it difficult to entertain the case and to avoid any form of redress in the court, has therefore directed that another query be given to the officer and thereafter avail the commission with its finding as well as officer’s representation.”
“In a deliberate effort to nail me at all cost, the directors in FMI ignored my various initiatives and efforts in promoting the image of the government while in the service. I had issued countless press releases and articles as well as received awards and commendations even from government agencies in about 20 years’ career in the service.
“The directors met again and still insisted on my dismissal over the same article ignoring my written defence. They even made a mockery of the Automatic Employment the government offered me as a recipient of Presidential National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award for meritorious service in 1994. In page 6 of the minutes of their meeting of June 11, 2013, the Directors indicated their disdain for merit and demonstrated their jealousy when they stated that “the officer (Yushau Shuaib) came into the service by accident and it was advisable that he should go the same way.”
“However, the Legal Adviser Olatunde Bashir, who was a mere observer at the meeting, had a different opinion on their recommendation for my dismissal. He cautioned that “the proper disciplinary procedure be followed and maintained that he (Bashir) would concede to final recommendation of the committee if the falsehood alleged in their query had been proved by the Ministry.”
“The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Kehinde Ajoni, on behalf of the Directors finally wrote a letter dated June 14, 2013 (Ref: FMI/PP.19463/C/38) to the Federal Civil Service (FCSC) recommending my dismissal from the public service because of the article on Dr Okono-Iweala”.
Shuaib also recalled how he was invited by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki to external media affairs of the office.
He said while on the job, different foreign currencies in transit by both APC and the PDP were uncovered.
“I was surprised he had a positive impression through a strongly recommended dossier on me written by an Igbo military intelligence officer. I politely rebuffed his attempt to lure me back into the service not even on an offer of a Director position in a critical institution. However, I gave a condition to work as a Consultant with a regular meeting with spokespersons of security and response agencies. Dasuki approved my proposal after liaising with the Presidency.
“The formation of Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA), to a greater extent, eased the task of my team in information management and inter-agency collaboration. We carried out extensive publicity activities involving editorial works, event management, media production and placements in print, electronic and online media.
“We also deployed psychological operations (PSYOP) in conveying appropriate narratives through right communication channels in persuading and convincing target audiences on specific objectives. Though strategies under PSYOP are strictly confidential, including self-censorship, few editors are aware of some of the initiatives to counter wicked propaganda and tackle information that could rubbish the nation’s integrity.
“In fact, the movement of large cash in local and foreign currencies by the two major political parties, APC and PDP, to win primaries and general elections in 2015 were discovered by security and anti-corruption agencies but tactically suppressed to avoid embarrassing outcries that could tarnish the electoral processes and rubbish the image of the country. Few senior journalists, especially some members of Faculty of Bureau Chiefs and Editors where a highly respected investigative Editor, Yusuf Alli is the Dean, are aware of some of details and culpability of the parties”.
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