SAN FRANCISCO, December 12, (THEWILL) – With at least four newspaper companies refuting claims that they received N10 million naira each from the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki through Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman of ThisDay, the Newspapers Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN) Saturday issued a statement on the development.
Obaigbena, who also doubles as President of NPAN, while defending the receipt of N670 million from the former NSA, had in a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is investigating how cash meant for arms was recklessly disbursed, listed at least 14 newspapers that shared N120 million of the sum as compensation for the military’s seizure of newspapers and disruption of circulation.
Obaigbena said the remainder N550 million was meant for ThisDay following the bombing of its Abuja and Kaduna offices by the Boko Haram in 2012.
The Tribune, New Telegraph, Peoples Daily and Daily Independent Friday in separate statements denied receiving any payments.
But reacting to their claim, NPAN said: “Our attention has been drawn to statements issued last night by claiming that they did not receive the compensation for the military disruption of circulation of newspapers by the federal government.
“It should be recalled that the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) executive council meeting of March 17, 2015, held at the offices of Daily Trust, Abuja, resolved to accept the N120million compensation and passed two other resolutions thereto:
“(1) that each member- organisation accepts to donate N1million from the compensation to the association for the up-keep of the secretariat;
“(2) that members should bring their membership account current, by paying all past dues to the secretariat before collecting their cheques.
“The cheques for the Nigerian Tribune and Peoples’ Daily remain in the secretariat awaiting collection.
“In the case of New Telegraph, the secretariat was confronted with a situation where 13 newspapers made claims while compensation for 12 newspapers was made. Blueprint Newspapers which was inadvertently omitted from the list has since been paid.
“When New Telegraph now demanded payment that had been collected by Blueprint Newspapers, the secretariat then brought the matter to the attention of the of the president, Nduka Obaigbena, who then called Governor Orji Kalu, the publisher of both The Sun Newspapers (who had been paid) and The New Telegraph (which has not been paid), to urge him to be patient for the matter to be tabled at the next executive council meeting, where he would seek the approval of the EXCO to take the funds earmarked for the secretariat to pay them.”
