TheCable

Ali Ndume, majority leader of the senate, on Saturday described himself as an internally displaced person (IDP).

He vowed to fight those who allegedly stole trucks of grain meant for those affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

Accusing some contractors of illegal diversion, Ndume said while 100 trucks of grain got missing under former President Goodluck Jonathan, 31 could not be accounted for under the current administration.

The lawmaker said the matter was reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and 29 trucks were traced to the National Strategic Reserve depot in Minna, Niger state.

Ndume spoke in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, while handing over grain, which the federal government provided for IDPs.

“I am passionate about the issue of the missing 31 trucks of grain because I am an internally displaced person (IDP) myself,” he said.

“After being given the trust to transport the grain, somebody went and diverted it.

“When we dug up we found it was a cartel, a syndicate or at best a group of thieves doing this to us; there was a great connivance and head will roll.”

“The contractor was reported to the EFCC for action and nine more trucks were recovered. The EFCC has promised to recover all the remaining trucks.

“There is a second phase of the case coming up because they also stole our grain during the regime of former President Good luck Jonathan. I am going to follow it up too.

“Jonathan ordered the release of 600 trucks and they stole more than 100 trucks out of it.

“They cannot go to sleep while am alive, I will follow it up because it is the same contractor.”