An incriminating document obtained by SecretsReporters has revealed that Engineer Eguche Friday, a Deputy Director at the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), is allegedly involved in contract racketeering exceeding two hundred million Naira. This activity is a violation of the Code of Conduct Bureau for Public Officers in Nigeria, which prohibits government officials from owning or running private companies while in full-time employment, except in the farming sector.
The document indicates that a project for the construction of a 330 KV DC line from Omotosho to Ikeja West was awarded to a contractor named Steers International Limited, with Valenz/Electromontaz acting as a consultant, by the Nigerian National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) for a total of ₦206,791,212.10. The project began in 2005 and was completed in December 2008. While the contractor’s background and experience appeared satisfactory, the evaluation process lacked transparency, particularly concerning changes in the project scope.
As of March 2008, it was noted that the original completion date had passed, and the project had been transferred from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to NIPP. Further investigations revealed that Steers International Limited’s management included Engineer Eguche Friday. He earned a master’s degree in engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and worked as a Senior Projects/Pipeline Engineer at Shell from 2001 to 2006 before becoming Deputy Director at RMAFC in 2008.
The document also highlights concerns regarding payments made by both PHCN and NIPP, indicating that the contract’s initial and adjusted completion dates had expired. An outstanding balance claimed by both entities includes a discrepancy of ₦41,358,241.90, exceeding the contract provisions. It has been recommended that the contract undergo a thorough review to clarify and reconcile the scope and payment details.
