For alleged blackmail, extortion, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups has suspended its President, Mr. Etuk Bassey Williams from office.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the group said Etuk is being suspended for alleged abuse of office, gross misconduct, blackmailing of government officers, financial impropriety, mismanagement of funds, stage managing protests against public officers and extortion.
The Coalition thereafter announced that it has elected Barr Olakunle Oladimeji as its new President.
The Coalition at its Congress held in Abuja also resolved to apologize to every government official who has fallen victim to the blackmail and extortion of Bassey using the name of the Coalition.
Addressing newsmen on the resolutions of the Congress held by the Coalition, the newly elected President, Barr. Olakunle Oladimeji also vowed to ensure prosecution of the ousted President for bringing the organization to disrepute and ridicule.
He went ahead to report that the investigation Committee set up by the coalition discovered that Mr. Etuk had carried out his blackmail in several government institutions including Federal Ministry of Information, Federal Ministry of Special Duties, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Defence, Nigeria Air Force, Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Army.
Others are Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Federal Fire Service, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDC), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation(NDIC), National Identity Management Commission(NIMC), Universal Basic Education Commission(UBEC), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited(NNPCL), Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), New Partnership for Africa’s Development, (NEPAD), Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, (SMEDAN), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETFUND) and the National Agency for Science Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
He said it was at NASENI that he was arrested and his evil ways were exposed.
Mr. Olakunle also said that Mr. Etuk Bassey also presented himself as the Chief Executive Officer of Aljazirah Nigeria Newspaper, the medium he used to publish or threaten to publish unfavourable news against government officials and called on Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN and other newspaper regulatory agencies to beware of the activities of the Newspaper.
He also said there was no protest planned by the Coalition against the Central Bank of Nigeria and its Governor, Godfrey Emefiele stating, “At this juncture it is important to state categorically that the Coalition of Civil Society Groups did not plan any protest against the CBN Governor or the CBN because there was no reason to organize such protest.
“However where any such blackmailing or extortionist plans to protest against the CBN exists, it is hereby called off and members of the public are urged to disregard any such plan for any purported protest”, he added.
