SENATE BUILDING; MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL INQUIRY; FORMER CITY COUNCIL OFFICIALS; NATIONAL HALL; MEMBERS OF RAILWAY INQUIRY; FORMER RAILWAY OFFICIALS.




Initials GEM/VS/JF/SGM



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Background: COURTS OF INQUIRY BEGAN HEARING IN THE NIGERIAN CAPITAL TODAY (THURSDAY) INTO THE AFFAIRS OF THE LAGOS CITY COUNCIL AND THE STATE-OWNED RAILWAY CORPORATION. THE PROBES WERE ORDERED BY MAJOR-GENERAL IRONSI. LEADER OF THE NATIONAL MILITARY GOVERNMENT THAT CAME TO POWER AFTER A COUP LAST JANUARY.

THE INQUIRY INTO THE ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL POLICY OF THE LAGOS CITY COUNCIL IS BEING HELD IN THE SENATE BUILDING, FORMERLY USED BY THE UPPER HOUSE OF THE NIGERIAN PARLIAMENT.

THE STATE COUNSEL SAID AT THE START OF THE INQUIRY THAT IF WAS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAD TO CORRECT BLUNDERS MADE DURING THE SIX YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE BEFORE THE COUP.

THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MR DAWODU, AND SEVERAL FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE AT THE HEARING. STATE COUNSEL TOLD THE INQUIRY THAT THE PEOPLE OF NIGERIA SUPPORTED MAJ-GEN. IRONSI'S GOVERNMENT IN EFFORTS TO STAMP OUT CORRUPTION, TRIBALISM AND NEPOTISM. BUT HE ADDED THAT THE INQUIRY WAS NOT A COURT FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF GUILTY PEOPLE...IT WAS THERE TO LEARN THE TRUTH.

AT THE SAME TIME THE INQUIRY INTO THE RAILWAY CORPORATION'S AFFAIRS STARTED IN THE NATIONAL HALL, WHICH ALSO USED TO BE PART OF THE NIGERIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING. THERE, COUNSEL SPOKE OF A FALL IN REVENUE AT THE SAME TIME AS A SUBSTANTIAL RISE IN OPERATIONAL COSTS. HE SAID IT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT ALLEGATIONS OF TRIBALISM AND NEPOTISM HAD RECENTLY BEEN MADE, INVOLVING HIGHLY PLACED MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OR BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF THE RAILWAYS.

MR ADENIRAN OGUNSANYA, A FORMER MINISTER, AND DR OKECHUKU IKEJIANI, THE LAST CIVILIAN CHAIRMAN OF RAILWAYS, WERE AT THE HEARING. THE INQUIRY WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE THE PURCHASE OF LOCOMOTIVES AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LINE FOR WHICH THE WORLD BANK MADE A LOAN OF GBP10 MILLION STERLING.A THIRD INQUIRY WILL PROBE THE AFFAIRS OF THE STATE-OWNED ELECTRICITY CORPORATION.