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Review Overview
Summary : …As Village Head, Team Members Accused of Exploiting Poorest Nigerians A shocking allegation of extortion has emerged in Akwa Ibom State, threatening to undermine a federal social intervention program aimed at supporting the poorest Nigerians. The Village Head of Edem Edim Ibesit, Ibesit clan in Oruk Anam Local Government, Eteidung Aaron Jimmy Akpan has been accused of colluding with team members capturing prospective beneficiaries to extort between ₦1,000 to ₦2,000 from each person before registering them. When contacted, a team member identified as Prince did not deny the allegation, instead referring our reporter to his team leader, Edidiong. The Village Head also failed to deny the accusation, claiming that the money was to buy "data" for the exercise. The exploited villagers are now appealing to local, state and federal governments to investigate and bring justice to the situation. The incident has raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the social intervention program meant to alleviate the economic suffering of the most vulnerable Nigerians. This alleged extortion scandal may not be an isolated incident, as similar schemes have been implemented in other states, raising fears that the exploitation could be widespread. The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation must take immediate action to address this issue and ensure that the program's intended beneficiaries are not further exploited. We call for a total probe of the scheme to uncover any other instances of corruption and extortion and to hold accountable those responsible for exploiting the poorest Nigerians. The government must ensure that social intervention programs are transparent, and accountable, and truly serve the needs of the vulnerable populations they are designed to support. (Global Concord, Wednesday Edition)
Review Overview
Summary : …As Village Head, Team Members Accused of Exploiting Poorest Nigerians A shocking allegation of extortion has emerged in Akwa Ibom State, threatening to undermine a federal social intervention program aimed at supporting the poorest Nigerians. The Village Head of Edem Edim Ibesit, Ibesit clan in Oruk Anam Local Government, Eteidung Aaron Jimmy Akpan has been accused of colluding with team members capturing prospective beneficiaries to extort between ₦1,000 to ₦2,000 from each person before registering them. When contacted, a team member identified as Prince did not deny the allegation, instead referring our reporter to his team leader, Edidiong. The Village Head also failed to deny the accusation, claiming that the money was to buy "data" for the exercise. The exploited villagers are now appealing to local, state and federal governments to investigate and bring justice to the situation. The incident has raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the social intervention program meant to alleviate the economic suffering of the most vulnerable Nigerians. This alleged extortion scandal may not be an isolated incident, as similar schemes have been implemented in other states, raising fears that the exploitation could be widespread. The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation must take immediate action to address this issue and ensure that the program's intended beneficiaries are not further exploited. We call for a total probe of the scheme to uncover any other instances of corruption and extortion and to hold accountable those responsible for exploiting the poorest Nigerians. The government must ensure that social intervention programs are transparent, and accountable, and truly serve the needs of the vulnerable populations they are designed to support. (Global Concord, Wednesday Edition)
