President Buhari suspends NSITF MD,3 executive directors, 8 others

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate and indefinite suspension the Managing Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr Adebayo Somefun.

The president also suspended from office three executive directors, Mr Jasper Ikedi Azuatalam, Executive Director, Finance and Investment, Mrs Olukemi Nelson, Executive Director, Operations, and Alhaji Tijani Darazo Sulaiman, Executive Director, Administration.

A statement signed by the Deputy Director/Head, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Charles Akpan confirmed the suspension on Thursday.

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The statement said other management staff suspended are the General Manager, Administration/Human Resources/Maintenance, the General Manager, Finance, Mr Lawan Tahir, Mr Chris Esedebe, General Manager, Claims and Compensation, Mr Olodotun A. Adegbite, Deputy General Manager, Investment and Treasury Management, Mr Emmanuel Enyinnaya Sike, Deputy General Manager, Finance and Accounts, Mrs Olutoyin O. Arokoyo, Deputy General Manager/Acting Head, Legal, Ms Dorathy Zajeme Tukura, Deputy General Manager, Administration, Mrs Victoria Ayantuga, Assistant General Manager, Internal Audit.

It stated that the suspension was as a result of the preliminarily established infractions on the extant Financial Regulations and Procurement Act, and other acts of gross misconduct.

The statement said,’’ during the period of their suspension, the suspended Officers are to face a Joint Board and Audit Investigative Panel that has been set up to look into the financial and procurement breaches, as well as gross misconduct in the NSITF for periods of 2016 to date, which have invariably put the Contributions of stakeholders in a perilous state.

It also said, “The affected officers have also been directed to hand over to the most senior Officers in their respective Departments.