FG urged to punish Syrian man for human rights abuse

By Ayo Adekunle
The Nigerian Civil Society Coalition, (NCSC) has called on the Federal Government to stop what it described as the criminal of a Syrian, Mr Wail Kutrub, the Managing Director of Almajdal, a construction firm.
In a statement on Monday, the NCSC accused my Kutrub of using intimidation, harassment and enslavement of Nigerians working with him.
The group particularly mentioned the case of one Mr James Ndon, a consultant to Almajdal who had been detained for a period of 12 days at the prompting of Mr Kutrub.

The rights group said Mr Ndon secured a job of N7billion for Mr Wail Kutrub but he had instead refused to pay him his entitlement but resorted to cheap blackmail, intimidation using Nigerian police and also prompting his illegal detention. The N7billion naira project is located at Ikot Ibri-Itam, Uruk Unam Local Government area of Akwa Ibom State.
According to the statement signed by its National Coordinator, Olakunle Abiona and the Secretary, Musa Shettima, Mr James has been subjected to continuous attacks with his life and that of his family threatened.
The rights group has 45 civil society members spread across the country. Prominent members of the human rights group are Mr Femi Falana, (SAN) Mr Festus Keyamo,(SAN) Mr Olisa Agbakoba, (SAN) amongst many other prominent Nigerian professionals.
The group specifically wants the EFCC to investigate Mr Wail Kutrub for his crimes and corrupt practices in Nigeria. Mr Kutrub is said to rob individuals that work for him and also reaping blind the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
The group said its members will moblise to disrupt the activities of the company in Lagos and Akwa Ibom for unjust and economic sabotage asking the EFCC comes unto the stage.
The group called on the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu to ensure the Syrian respect obligations to the people and government of Nigeria.
The Syrian was said to have a tract record of dishonesty and corrupt practices in his relationship with many Nigerians that have worked with him.
Mr Kutrub is notorious for his criminal activities. He got the job Mr Ndon got for him. He was mobilized to the tune of N200 million. He refused to disclose that he had been mobilized but rather chose to lie. He also sent police to arrest and detain Mr James for five days in Uyo and for another six days in Lagos instead of paying his money. In November this year again, he effected the arrest and detention of the same Mr Ndon for another six days against existing laws of Nigeria.”
The group said Mr Kutrub has been constantly harassing Mr James his offence being that MrKutrub is trying to eraze the evidence of his obligations to pay the said consultant.
NCSCS said “We call on the Government of Akwa Ibom State to prevail on Mr Kutrub to pay the money owed Mr James to avoid the invasion of his premises through mass protests by members of the Nigerian civil society movement.”
Narrating how the relationship began, the rights group said that Mr James had acted as a consultant to procure a job worth N16billion from the Akwa Ibom State Government but that instead of paying the money, he has been threatening him with hired killers.
Mr James was quoted as saying “I secured the job for him as a consultant. Shortly he was mobilized the first payment, the sum of (#200,000,000M) was paid to his company Almajdal Ltd. UBA Account surprisingly he did not tell me that he has been paid for over a month and two weeks, it was when I got the information that I went to his house to ask him in Lagos that how can you receive such money and you kept quiet and he denied that the money he has with him now is the money he borrowed from UBA (#55,000,000) and after giving him all the facts he confessed that truly he didn’t borrow, that they have paid him the said amount I now asked him what of my own money, based on what we agreed and he now said he will give me when he gets the next payment so he can get the necessary equipment he needed for the job as he has no equipment and I now said you are supposed to have enough equipment before collecting the job. So that should not be an excuse.”
NHRC said Mr James narrated that the total worth or volume of the job (road project) was (#16Billion) initially, two bridges is on it all total at 42 kilometers (42km).
Mr James reported to the human rights body that it was when the government got to know that he had no capacity to push the job adequately that he Akwa Ibom State Government decided to split the job into two, one side for him and the other for another contractor that brought the job down to 19.5 kilometers (19.5km) at (#7 billion).