The Plateau State Police Command has summoned 49 staff members of the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Jos, for questioning following a petition alleging threats to life and destruction of government properties.
The invitation comes just weeks after SaharaReporters reported that the NMDC management issued queries to two staff members for allegedly publicising and sharing official documents that formed the basis of a Daily Nigerian investigation into corruption and procurement irregularities at the Centre.
In a letter of invitation sighted by SaharaReporters, the Plateau State Police Command directed the affected staff members to appear before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jos.
“This department received a petition of threat to life and destruction of Government properties at National Metallurgical Development Center (NMDC) Jos,” it said.
“It is very imperative to wade into the matter for mediation. The Commissioner of Police through the Deputy Commissioner of Police State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Jos, wishes to invite the under listed staff for fact findings mission on 25th September, 2025 at 12:00 noon prompt.”
“Your cooperation and prompt response in this regard, will be highly appreciated,” it added.
The management’s earlier query to Abdullahi Yaro Zakariyya of the Engineering Services Department, dated September 1, 2025 and signed by Michael S. Sesere on behalf of the Director General, read in part, “I am directed to issue you a query to explain your reason(s) for publicising and sharing official documents on social/print media, (Daily Nigeria Online Edition), specifically on the JORAISU-NMDC Jos WhatsApp Platform, on Tuesday, 19th August, 2025.
“This act is considered a breach of Public Service Rules (PSR) 100415, 100416, 100417 and other relevant provisions, which prohibit the unauthorised disclosure of official information/documents.
“Accordingly, you are hereby required to explain in writing, within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of this query, why disciplinary action should not be taken against you in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules (PSR).
“Please note that failure to respond within the stipulated period will be deemed as unwillingness to offer any explanation, and appropriate sanctions will be applied against you in accordance with the Public Service Rules.”
A similar letter was also addressed to Abbey J. Ameh of the same department weeks ago.
A source told SaharaReporters that the “offence of these two persons victimised is that when they saw the news article, they shared it on the WhatsApp platform of the Centre, and after that they were accused of being the ones who released the documents”.
The Daily Nigerian exposé, published earlier this year, alleged that, “exclusive documents obtained by Daily Nigerian revealed that on 25th March 2019, a total sum of N148,500,000 was approved by the Director General of NMDC, Professor Linus Asuquo for the procurement of an X-ray Fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) machine and paid for from capital vote, an amount above his approval limit according to the Procurement Act, 2007.
“The award letter was also signed by the DG against same procurement act regulations. The same equipment was also awarded, signed by the DG and paid for from the intervention funds on 4th May 2020 through remita payment batch 137 via three transactions.”
It further reported, “Findings reveal that this machine, a critical component of NMDC’s operation has been used to siphon the total sum of N329,671,738.00 through contracts awarded to MIS Software Nigeria Limited.”
Documents obtained by Daily Nigerian revealed that an award letter for the supply and installation of an Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (EDXRF) was personally signed by the Director-General of the NMDC in March 2019, in violation of procurement laws, without specifying the type of machine to be delivered. Despite this, a job completion certificate issued to the contractor, MIS Software Nigeria Limited, also failed to indicate the model of equipment supplied. Notably, the certificate’s commencement date predated the contract award, raising further suspicion.
