By Sunday ELOM

WATER has no enemy is an old cliche that Ezeanya Ibeabuch has yet to come to terms with. All his life, he has seen water as a natural friend until a raw deal of the anger of nature changed his perception.

Sometime in July, Ibeabuchi was away from home when floods ravaged his residence at Umuabu village in Adazi Enu in Anaocha Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State. He could not salvage his properties, including his credentials. 

He lamented, “I was in Onitsha when I was called that because of the open gutters, floods have pushed all my fences down. The floods pushed my soak pit open and filled the soak pit and pushed some blocks of my fences into the pit.”

“Everything in my house has been completely damaged. My certificates and every other document I have in this house have been damaged. Where do I start now?

 “What flood damage in my home is worth millions of Naira. I can’t bear this.” 

At the mercy of abandoned erosion and flood control projects

But how did Ibeabuchi and many other residents of Umuabu become victims of flooding when the federal government had anticipated the incident and taken measures to prevent it? 

Anambra is one of the South-east states with perennial erosion and flooding challenges. There are over 100 gully sites in the state, but only about 30 have received measures of control, according to a research, ‘Review of Gully Erosion in Anambra State: Geology, Causes, Effects, Control Measures and Challenges Associated with Its Mitigation’.

The research work, done in 2023 by O. Oshim Francisca, C. Ayajuru Nelson, C. Anumaka Collins and S. Olayemi Opeyemi, and published in Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International, stated that the erosion  activity  in the state has  resulted  in  the  loss  of  productive  lands,  water  pollution, sedimentation  of  waterways,  and  the  loss  of  lives  and  properties  almost  every  year, which explains why residents like Ibeabuchi have become victims of flooding.

Many homes in Umuabu village would have been spared of the pangs of flooding had Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd, a company that secured the erosion and flood control job from the federal government, not abandoned the project.

“Where do I start now? The worth of things that floods damaged is in millions of naira. I can’t bear this,” Ibeabuchi lamented the impact of the incident.

In 2022, Felix Odimegwu, the state’s commissioner for environment, said erosion had eaten over 70 per cent of the landmass in Anambra.

Year-in–year-out, residents of communities in Idemili North, Anaocha, Dunukofia, Orumba North, among others live in perpetual fear of unpredictable death and unquantifiable destruction of properties by erosion.

In December 2023, the commissioner said about 160 out of 179 communities in the state are grappling with the imminent threat of deaths and destruction posed by gully erosion.

But Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd and five other companies engaged by the federal government to execute flood and erosion control works in four local government areas in the state have defaulted and left the residents to their fate.

This is despite the payment of N244,105,807.15 between March 8, 2021, and December 15, 2023, to the companies, according to data available on GovSpend platform, which tracks government’s expenditures on capital projects.

 

The firms are Del-trazi Nigeria Limited (Erosion and Flood Control works at Agbadani/Obeagu/Adama Nri General Hospital, Enugwu Ukwu Road, Anaocha LGA); Khalidtech Global Concept Limited (Erosion and Flood Control works at Section 2 Umuabu, Adazi Enu, Anaocha LGA); Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited (Flood and Erosion Control in Nkwelle Umunachi, Idemili North LGA); Cathnel Services Limited (Erosion Control works at Iguala Road, Ifitedunu, Dunukofia LGA); Saicom Integrated Services Limited (Erosion Control Project in Ahaba Oka, Enugwu Nanka, Orumba North LGA, and Eldov Transnational Services Limited (Flood and Erosion control in Obeagu, Anaocha LGA). 

The Umuabu erosion control contract was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Environment and supervised by the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority.

The Umuabu erosion control project and the five other erosion and flood control projects were captured in 2021, 2022 and 2023 approved budgets.

On December 21, 2023, the Federal Ministry of Environment paid the sum of N12,334,526.10 to Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd for erosion and flood control works at Section 2 Umuabu, Adazi-Enu, Anambra State, according to GovSpend. 

Similarly, on March 25, 2022, the ministry paid the sum of N28,738,414.30 to Del-trazi Nig. ltd for Agbadani/Obeagu/Adama Nri General Hospital, Enugwu Ukwu Road in Anaocha Local Government Area. 

Also, on December 31, 2022, and December 15, 2023, the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority (AIRBDA) paid a total sum of N59,584,756.56 to Eldov Transnational Services ltd for flood and erosion control at the same Obeagu community.

On March 31, 2023, and April 21, 2023, the Authority again paid a total sum of N16,017,774.23 to Saicom Integrated Services Limited for erosion control project in Ahaba Oka in Enugwu Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state. 

However, despite the huge amount of money released to contractors, the heartbreaking story of these communities cannot be said to have changed.

Some of the awarded erosion and flood control projects have remained completely abandoned, some were never started while some were poorly executed and have almost returned to their previous states, hence, providing little or no intended solution to beneficiaries.

Abandoned erosion projects cause life of daily panic, uncertainty

Abandonment and poor execution of projects by contractors and implementing agencies have become somewhat a norm in Nigeria, and each abandoned project deals a heavy blow on the supposed beneficiaries, yet funds allocated or released for it are never accounted for.

With the ravaging floods and erosion in the Anambra communities that SaharaReporters visited, residents live a daily life of uncertainty. Many lamented that they are losing their assets and scarce resources on a regular basis, and that they might soon be completely displaced if erosion finally takes over their spaces of residence.

They also lamented that they have made several attempts to draw the urgent attention of the Nigerian government that awarded the contracts to take urgent necessary actions and solve their problems, but nothing has been done. 

Chairman of Umuabu community, Eziuzor Ikechukwu said, “What we are seeing is that the Nigerian government that awarded the contract, and even the state government, are not monitoring the project, because if they are monitoring it, we would not still be exposed to danger of erosion floods like this. 

“It is either the government has not paid the contractor or the contractor is being inhumane by exposing us to floods. We have held a press conference for the world to hear our voice.

“We cannot remain silent while our people’s properties are being washed away. There is hunger in town. the government cannot feed us. we are not being given fertilizers. Our farming is not being subsidized. 

“How can somebody under this condition go to the market, invest his money in farming and the government’s actions that should be aiding us, is rather washing away our farmlands? How can we survive all these? 

“I don’t know what to do. This is not humane. This is wickedness by the government and the contractor, because you cannot just give somebody a contract and go to bed. when you give a contract, you monitor.

“I know that before a contract is awarded, there would be an environmental impact assessment, and I’m sure that if you go to the ministry (Ministry of Environment), they did it on paper, otherwise, they should have known the volume of water that is flowing into this community and they should have known how to do it.

“We are paying our taxes, but how wicked is it for the government to expose us to this kind of danger. I don’t understand whether we still have a government in this state.”  

Umuabu, Obeagu, Ahaba Oka communities residents lament

Speaking with SaharaReporters, Ibeabuchi said their situation has been made worse by another contractor they identified as Benijas Construction Company engaged by the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, to construct the road in the same area where Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd abandoned the erosion control contract.

Ibeabuchi said, “What we experienced here last year (2023) in terms of flooding was very bad. We couldn’t contain it.

“For over two years, we have been experiencing this horrible situation. Most times I no longer return home because of the erosion and flooding. Each time I come home and fix what had been damaged, floods will still damage them again whenever it rains.

“As I’m speaking now, I no longer drive my car into my compound. Since the contractor is not ready to do the work, we as a community have been doing some communal work, including building some guilters just to make sure we rescue ourselves but at the end of the day, the water flowing into this community is more than what we can contain.”  

Another resident of Umuabu community in Anaocha Local Government Area, Iyke Ezeene, lamented that water enters his house every time it rains, noting that part of his compound’s perimeter fence has been pushed down by the floods from the abandoned erosion site.

He said, “Since over sixty years of my life here, water enters my house every time it rains. Part of my fence has been pushed down by the floods. 

“We have molded another block to rebuild the fence, but we might not do it now because the flood might push it down again.

In Obeagu community, Anaocha Local Government Area, where Del-trazi Nig. ltd was paid N28,738,414.30 for erosion and flood control work, the community leader, Bartholomew Okafor, told SaharaReporters that though he had just assumed office, there has never been any erosion control contract executed in the community.

“From what I know and what the previous leader said, there has never been any contract on erosion that has been worked on here. There are erosion sites in this community, but nobody has ever come to work on them.”

In Ahaba Oka, Enugwu Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area, data from GovSpend platform showed that Saicom Integrated Services Limited was paid the sum of N16,017,774.23 for an erosion control project in the community but SaharaReporters visited the community and found out that the project was never executed, while residents of the community lamented the destruction the erosion has caused them.

The Vice Chairman of the community, John Okorie, whose house is currently at the verge of sinking into the gully erosion that has taken over a major part of the community, lamented that he and many other members of the community will soon be rendered completely homeless if nothing is done urgently.

With the threat of homelessness by the erosion that has started digging some part of his fences, Okorie, who is currently down with sickness, said that many residents of the community have been displaced by the erosion and that no contractor has ever visited the community to do any work.

Okorie said, “It is a very big one just behind my house here. It is really disturbing. Problem is that as rain falls, it digs deeper and expands and that is how it has been taking more space in the community. 

“It has gone beyond our control and at this point, there is nothing we can do about it. We did not know that the government awarded it to be controlled but even now, it is so big that I don’t know if there is anything the government can still do about it.

“As I am now, I have come to a conclusion to stay here just like other people because we don’t have anywhere else to go. Any day it wipes off my home, I will know it is like that.”  

Some contractors evade enquiries, others claim work done according to specification

Why were the projects abandoned despite evidence of payments made to the contractor? SaharaReporters made several efforts to contact the contractors and get an answer to this question. 

However, the efforts made to the reactions of most of the contractors failed as they were evasive, some claimed that they executed the project according to the scope specified in the contract.

SaharaReporters contacted Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd which the Federal Ministry of Environment paid the sum of N12,334,526.10 in December 2023 for erosion and flood control works at Section 2 Umuabu, Adazi-Enu, through its registered email on CAC for an explanation on why the project was abandoned, but till the time of filing this report, the company has not responded to the email.

Brief information from the CAC website showed that Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd was registered on October 8, 2019, with its address at No.3, Zenith Hills Close, Angwan-Fulani, Dakwa, Niger State.

SaharaReporters on December 8, 2024 made the required payment to the CAC for the details of Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd, but a copy of certified extracts status report of the company signed and provided by the Registrar General of CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN) showed no details of the company except, “Date of registration: Nil; Postal Code: Nil; Email: Nil; Status: Inactive.”

In further searches for the details of Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd, details found on B2BHint, a platform that provides, “comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date information” of companies and business organisations, also confirmed that Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd was registered on October 8, 2019 with registration No: RC-1622570 and its address at No. 3, Zenith Hills Close, Angwan-Fulani, Dakwa, Niger State.

According to the data obtained from B2BHint, Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd status is inactive and identified persons with significant control of the company to include Siyaka Rasheed Ovoro, Siyaka Tijani, and Okpe Ibrahim Shaibu, a legal practitioner.

However, no contact details of Ovoro, Tijani and Shaibu were provided, and searches for their contacts on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn returned negative as similar names found on the social media platforms showed no connection with Khalidtech Global Concept Ltd.

Also, searches by SaharaReporters revealed that the Group Executive Chairman of Del-trazi Nig. ltd, the company that received N28,738,414.30 for Erosion and Flood Control works at Agbadani/Obeagu/Adama Nri General Hospital, Enugwu Ukwu Road, Anaocha LGA, is Charles Ezeani.

An email was sent to Ezeani on October 28, 2024, requesting information and explanation regarding the contract but there was no response till the time of filing this report. 

Also, a message was sent to him on his LinkedIn account but he did respond to the message too.

Similarly, Eldov Transnational Services Limited, which was paid a total sum of N59,584,756.56 for Flood and Erosion control in Obeagu, Anaocha LGA, was registered on CAC on March 5, 2014, with registration No. 1175590, and with listed address at Suite 302, Anbeez Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

But while its website was not responsive, SaharaReporters sent a mail to Eldov Transnational Services Limited’s email address it supplied to the Ebonyi State Ministry of Infrastructural Development for Concession when the ministry awarded it a contract in 2023. But till the time of filing this report, Eldov Transnational Services ltd had not responded to the mail.

However, SaharaReporters found out that the official address Eldov Transnational Services Limited supplied to the Ebonyi State Ministry of Infrastructural Development for Concession which is No. 7 Bwari close, Area 8 Garki Abuja is different from its registered address on CAC which is Suite 302, Anbeez Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

Also, SaharaReporters found found out that Elochukwu Nicholas Agha, is Eldov Transnational Services Limited Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Agha has two different LinkedIn accounts, one with name: Elochukwu Agha, where he wrote eight months ago, “It’s been a while since I started my role at Eldov Transnational Services Limited as a Chief Executive Officer, but I wanted to share this update with everyone.” His experience page on LinkediN showed that he had been CEO of Eldov SINCE december 2020.

On his second LinkedIn account with name: Agha Elochukwu Nicholas, he identified his position as Operations Manager at Eldov Transnational Service Limited, indication that he probably was promoted from this position to CEO.

However, efforts to reach him failed as his message boxes on LinkedIn are not accessible for communication, and there was no contact details of him or of Eldov Transnational Service Limited could be found.

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters contacted Saicom Integrated Services Ltd on WhatsApp via its official phone number with a name, Samuel Ibegbulem (Saicom), gotten from its website, the company which was paid a total sum of N16,017,774.23 for an erosion control project in Ahaba Oka in Enugwu Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area claimed that it executed it according to the scope of the contract. 

When confronted with the fact that SaharaReporters visited Ahaba Oka village and that the villagers who took our reporter round erosion sites in the village said that no contractor came to the village let alone doing any erosion work, the company’s official who responded to SaharaReporters’ inquiries, said the villagers do not know the scope of the contract.

In a response sent to SaharaReporters on WhatsApp, the company said, “Why are they saying it is abandoned and at the same time saying they have not seen the presence of Saicom. Just tell them you did what was on the scope.”

The Saicom Integrated Services Ltd’s official further said, “They can as well write AIRBDA for details. The villagers don’t know the scope of work, go to AIRBDA, enquire about the scope, talk to the supervisor before listening to the villagers.”

Budget allocations for Umuabu, Obeagu, Ahaba Oka erosion projects

SaharaReporters’ examination of 2021, 2022 and 2023 approved budgets shows that in the 2023 Federal Ministry of Environment budget, the sum of N30 million was appropriated for flood and erosion control works at Section 2 Umuabu in Ada Enu, Anaocha Local Government Area. Another N15 million was also allocated to the Federal Ministry of Environment in the same budget year for the same project. 

Also, in the 2021 budget, N35 million was allocated for erosion and flood control works at Obeagu with connection to two other neighbouring villages, and in the 2022 budget, N88,195,286 was budgeted for flood and erosion control at Obeagu.

In the 2022 approved budget, the Nigerian government budgeted the sum of N18,796,857 for an erosion control project in Ahaba Oka, Enugwu Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

‘Poorly’ executed Nkwelle Umunachi erosion site now threat to neighbouring village

A flood and erosion control project in Nkwelle Umunachi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State was awarded to Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited in 2021 with over N69 million paid to the contractor for the project. 

SaharaReporters’ analysis of 2021 and 2022 Fiscal Appropriation Act revealed that in 2021, former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration appropriated the sum of N22,500,000 to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for flood and erosion control in Nkwelle Umunachi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

In the 2022 Fiscal Appropriation Act, the sum of N14,095,643 was again budgeted for flood and erosion control in Nkwelle Umunachi.

Meanwhile, data obtained from GovSpend, a civic tech platform tracking the Nigerian government expenditures, showed that in a five-tranche payment between March 8, 2021, and June 20, 2022, the Nigerian government paid a total sum of N69,133,058.56 to Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited, for flood and erosion control in Nkwelle Umunachi.

When our reporter visited the site, it was observed that though the project had been executed, the job was poorly done. 

It was observed that the gutter channel constructed for the erosion flood is too narrow, and some residents of the community complained that it overflows during a heavy rainfall. 

Also, some parts of the road leading to the main erosion site, which was constructed by the contractor, is filled with potholes and already failing.

A resident of Nkwelle Umunachi, who simply identified himself as Chima, who directed SaharaReporters to the erosion said, “the truth is that they did the work and finished it, I think last year or early this year but to me, they did not do a good work. 

“It is true that the work they did has really reduced the erosion because it was seriously disturbing us but many of our people have been complaining because sometimes when it rains heavily, the water, including the ones from our neighbouring Umueze village, will overflow the gutter and still disturb people.

“I think at a point our people had to block some of the channels where the water from the other village comes into our village. Also, you can see some parts of the road they constructed here when they did the erosion work is already spoiling. 

“I am not an engineer but for the fact that this road has not been long when they did it and it is already breaking down, I believe they did not use quality materials.”

Another resident of Nkwelle Umunachi, Ugbo Johnson, an Engineer who is building a house in the area had this to say: “I am a civil engineer, and I can tell you that while I agree that the contractor has done his work … and I am not trying to downplay him … but the work will not last as expected. 

“You can see some parts of the road already failing and I can tell you that with the kind of gutter they constructed, it is somehow deep, but I believe with time, people living around this area, including this house I am handling here might not be really safe from erosion flood.”  

Unfortunately, SaharaReporters was unable to contact the contractor as the company has no registration details on the Corporate Affairs Commission website.

However, details of the company published by NG-Check.com, an online platform that publishes information about Nigerian companies, business addresses, owners, activity etc., showed that Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited was incorporated on August 31, 1984 with address at 55 New Market Road, Onitsha, and has Aloysius M. Okonkwo and Anaestatia U. Okonkwo as directors.

However, when SaharaReporters visited the supposed registered address to confirm the existence of the company and speak with the owners, there were no traces of Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited at the two-storey building at the place.

While some firms like a law firm, a Web Dynamix digital outlet, a non-governmental organisation – Living to make Impact Foundation (LIMP), amongst others were found at the address, no signpost, banner or inscription about or related to Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited were found.

When SaharaReporters asked people in the area about Aloy Standard Nigeria Limited, they denied knowledge of the company or its existence at the supposed address. 

“I don’t know about such an office or company at No: 55 New Market Road here. You can see for yourself. I have never seen them or heard about them. I have been here for years and I don’t know about such a company here,” a middle-aged woman in the area told SaharaReporters.

Another resident of the area who also owns a provision store opposite the address said, “I think the person you are looking for lied to you or something. There is no office or company with that name at No: 55. You can see this building is not a new one, that I can say maybe they were there. It is an old building and I have been here for more than 10 years now.”

Construction work on Iguala Road, Ifitedunu

In the 2022 former President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government allocated the sum of N68,796,857 for erosion control works at Iguala Road in Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra state.

Data obtained from GovSpend shows that on December 31, 2022, Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority paid the sum of N58,297,277.40 to Cathnel Services Limited for erosion control works at Iguala road, Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area.

When our reporter visited the project site, it was observed that construction work was going on, but residents of the community said the contractor told them he would construct the entire erosion affected areas on the road.

While the entire length of the road affected by erosion is about 1.5 kilometres, the length of the road the contractor said he would construct, according to the residents, is less than one kilometre.

When SaharaReporters visited the location, our reporter could not meet with the community leader as he was said to had gone for a burial ceremony.

However, one of the residents of the community who gave his name as Joseph said, “They (the contractor) are currently working on the road. The erosion disturbs a lot here, but we thank God they are now working on it. But what we don’t understand is that they said they are not doing it to the end. 

“They said they have a particular place they will stop but where they said they will stop is not the end of where erosion is disturbing and if they stop without doing it to the end, it doesn’t really make sense because the part they are doing now will soon spoil.”

Joseph, who took our reporter to the end of the road and showed him the point where the

contractor said he will stop, pointed out that the fact that the area is slopy, if the construction is not taken to the end of the road, “it will just be a matter of a few years and the erosion floods will wash of the road from the side they did not do now.”

SaharaReporters’ several efforts to speak with the contractor, Cathnel Services Limited, failed as our reporter could not see any of its workers at site during the visit, though the contractor’s working equipment was at the site. 

This newspaper could not also get the company’s mobile or email contact details, and many residents of the community asked for the contractor’s mobile number but none of them agreed to have any. 

Also, searches on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) showed no phone number or email contact details of the company. 

Details of the company on CAC only showed that the company was registered on June 19, 2016, offices at Plot 61, Cadastral Zone B07, Katampe, Abuja.

However, further searches revealed that one of the directors of Cathnel Services Limited is Peace Ebelechukwu Chine from Nibo in Anambra State, a candidate of the Accord Party who contested for Awka North/Awka South Federal Constituency in Anambra state in the 2023 general elections.

The General Manager/Director of the company is Chukwunonso Chine Michael, while other directors include Nelson Nwafor Chine, Catherine Ukamaka Chine, Gloria Onyeka Chine, Joy Anulika Uyanwune, and Esq Iloka, the secretary.

Following the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority’s refusal to acknowledge the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) letter sent to it or provide details of the contract as requested in the letter, SaharaReporters sent an email to Peace Ebelechukwu Chine, requesting details of the contract including the scope and specification of the contract. 

However, the email returned a negative response stating, “Your message wasn’t delivered to pec.mandate@gmail.com because the address couldn’t be found, or is unable to receive mail.”

In a further attempt to get the details of the contract from Peace Ebelechukwu Chine, calls were made to her mobile phone number but while some of the calls could not go through as the network provider said the number was not reachable, the ones that went through were not answered.

A WhatsApp message was sent to her but there was no response till the time of filing this report. 

Ministry Of environment, Anambra-Imo River Basin, contractors refuse to speak

The Federal Ministry of Environment and the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority refused to provide information on the erosion and flood control projects they paid for between January 22, 2021, and December 15, 2023.

On August 27, 2024, and September 11, 2024, respectively, SaharaReporters in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request written through the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), asked the Federal Ministry of Environment and AIRBDA for details of the erosion control project.

The letter specifically requested for names and addresses of the contractors approved and paid for the erosion and flood control works; the contract sums; duration and completion dates; releases so far made to the contractors, including time and amounts of each release and the contract documents signed with the contractors.

The letter also requested for full disclosure of the locations of the erosion control projects awarded in Etitinabo and Obosi, and details of releases so far made to the contractors, including details of the time and amount of each release, the contract documents signed with the contractors, bidding and procurement documents for the contractor awards.

Contrary to the provisions of the 2011 law that information requested should be made available promptly but not later than seven days from the receipt of the application, the ministry is yet to respond to the request or give any reason for the denial months after acknowledging its receipt.

When contacted after several months of no response from the ministry, the Director of Press at the ministry, Ibrahim Haruna, requested for the acknowledged copy of the FOIA letter to enable him to do a follow up on the requested information. 

The acknowledged copy of the letter was sent to him on WhatsApp as he requested, which he acknowledged and promised to get back to our reporter but never did till the time of filing this report, despite a reminder sent to him.

On the other hand, the AIRBDA vehemently refused to accept or acknowledge the FOIA request when our reporter visited the Authority’s office in Owerri, Imo state capital to submit it. 

Our reporter met the Managing Director of AIRBDA, Engr. Gerald O. Osuagwu, in person but he refused to collect or acknowledge the FOIA letter. He also refused to speak with our reporter who requested to speak with him on the spot as an option.

Also, on October 22, 2024, an email was sent to the AIRBDA Managing Director again requesting for information on the erosion projects the Authority awarded and paid for, but he is yet to respond to the mail till the time of filing this report.

*This investigation is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting.

*This report was first published in 2024.