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Tag: ICPC

  • FIIRO DG, Chima Igwe not awarded PhD – ICPC

    FIIRO DG, Chima Igwe not awarded PhD – ICPC

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said the Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr Chima Igwe, has not been awarded a PhD degree.

    The anti-graft agency made this known in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, on Sunday in Abuja.

    Igwe has been under ICPC investigation for claiming to have secured a PhD at the Universite d’Abomey Calavi, Republic of Benin, but has no certificate to show for it.

    He is said to have risen through the ranks in FIIRO based on a letter of attestation from the university, prompting some officials of the institute to petition the ICPC.

    The ICPC spokesperson said investigation showed that Igwe actually completed the three-year programme between 1999 and 2002, and wrote his thesis.

    However, she said he did not defend the thesis, and so cannot be said to have been awarded a PhD.

    Okoduwa stated that the university said that much in a letter to the Nigerian Mission in Benin dated Jan. 22, 2020.

    In the letter, the institution reportedly said it had given the FIIRO boss, at his request, a chance to update his research results in the 2019/2020 academic year.

    “It stands to reason, therefore, that if the PhD programme was concluded there would have been no need for Igwe to request re-registration.

    “The Commission is firmly of the opinion that he cannot be said to have been awarded a PhD since he is yet to complete the process of defence of his thesis 18 years after he is said to have finished the course work.

    “By global standards, the successful defence of a thesis is a compulsory condition for the award of a PhD.

    “Therefore, in line with its avowed commitment to discharging its duties with professionalism and responsibility, the Commission has since communicated its most recent findings and position to the relevant authorities for necessary action”, she said.

  • ICPC recovers N77.04b assets in 2019

    ICPC recovers N77.04b assets in 2019

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday said it recovered N77.04 billion assets from suspects in 2019.

    The commission also said it received 1,934 petitions out of which it concluded investigations on 580.

    The remaining petitions, which were not within its jurisdiction, were referred to relevant anti-graft agencies.

    But it said out of the 580 concluded investigations, 83 cases were filed in court and 25 convictions secured.

    The commission insisted that the former Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, is still wanted by the commission.

    ICPC spokesperson Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa announced these at a media briefing yesterday in Abuja on the activities of the commission in the last one year.

    She said: “In the last one year, we have recovered over N77.04 billion assets, including N1.16 billion in Treasury Single Account (TSA); immovable assets worth N32.038 billion and about N41.98 billion restrained after the review of MDAs Personnel Cost Expenditure.

    “Others were recoveries from project tracking (N0.767b) and N1.097 billion, being the value of constituency projects completed after we forced contractors to sites.

    “ICPC has also received 1,934 petitions and concluded investigations on 580 cases. All petitions were duly registered and captured. Quite a good number of the petitions were not within ICPC jurisdiction because they bordered on some issues, like pensions, estate, economic and financial crimes.

    “Several of those petitions have been forwarded to the relevant agencies. After those concluded investigations, 83 cases were filed in court. We had 25 convictions in 2019 but some of them were carried over cases.”

    Responding to a question, Mrs. Okoduwa said: “ICPC is not shy about naming and shaming of those suspected of corrupt practices but we have to work within the ambit of the law.

    “We have named certain corrupt persons when we have reasons to go to court. We are not shy of exposing those who engage in corrupt practices; we only follow the law.

    “Our ultimate goal in this anti-corruption war is about the betterment of the people. We believe that anti-corruption campaign should not happen in a vacuum; it should increase development; it should increase growth. It shouldn’t be about how many people you have thrown into prison.

    “Since the bottom line is allowing people to derive benefits from anti-corruption measures/ investigations, if we embroil ourselves in cases, it may take years for people to reap from what we may recover from corrupt elements.”

    On the fate of Obono-Obla, who was sacked as chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Mrs. Okoduwa said he was still wanted.

    She added: “Yes, we have read in the media about his being available in the country, that he is making statements on social media platforms.

    “We have also made statements to the effect that he should come out from hiding and present himself to ICPC. That is the only way he can clear his name, the only way to move forward.

    “We have also heard from media sources how he has been calling ICPC names, saying that commission is in rivalry with his office, and a lot more. That is a lot of hogwash. I have had people call me to say: what do you have to respond to Obono Obla, saying your chairman is a rival to him? It is hogwash.

    “The decent thing is for the gentleman to come to ICPC to clear his name. We are giving him an opportunity to clear his name. After all, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty…”

    On a petition before the ICPC against the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the spokesperson said the petition must have been attended to.

    Mrs Okoduwa promised to find out the status of the petition.

  • JUST IN: ICPC declares serving House of Reps member wanted

    JUST IN: ICPC declares serving House of Reps member wanted

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday declared wanted a member of the House of Representatives, Shehu Koko Mohammed for failure to appear before the Commission in an ongoing investigation against him.

    Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, Director, Public Enlightenment, ICPC, on behalf of the Chairman, in a statement, said “Hon. SHEHU KOKO MOHAMMED is hereby declared wanted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for his failure to appear before the Commission, for an ongoing investigation against him.

    “Hon. Mohammed, an indigene of Kebbi State, is currently serving as an Honourable Member representing the Maiyama/Koko/Besse Federal Constituency at the National Assembly. He was born on 16th June 1978 (41 years old) and is dark in complexion.

    “His current address is Wamban Koko Campaign Office, Jega Road, Maiyama, Kebbi State.

    “Anyone who has useful information on his whereabouts should report to ICPC Headquarters Abuja, any of the ICPC State Offices or the nearest police station, or call ICPC Toll-Free lines: 0803-123-0280, 0803-123-0281, 0803-123-0282, 0705-699-0190, 0705-699-0191 and 0800-CALL-ICPC (0800-2255-4272),” the statement said.

  • ICPC arraigns Ortom’s secretary over alleged N4.7b contract scam

    ICPC arraigns Ortom’s secretary over alleged N4.7b contract scam

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Stephen Amase, the principal private secretary to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, and a former Commissioner for Works, Mr. Manger T Emmanuel, over alleged N4.7billion fraud.

    It said the suspects were charged before Justice S.O Itodo of the Benue State High Court in Makurdi.

    In a statement by the ICPC Spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, says: “The suspects were arraigned for conferring unfair advantage upon themselves and for holding indirect private interests in a contract valued at N4,766,858,449.63.” The offence which was committed in March 2016 contravenes Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

    Amase, said the statement, used his position as Ortom’s principal private secretary, “to secure the N4,766,858,445.63 contract to Tongyi New International Construction Limited from the government he is serving, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

    It quoted the ICPC Prosecution Counsel , Mr. G. O Iwuagwu, as telling the court that Emmanuel conspired with Amase to award the contract by misleading the State Tenders Board and State Executive Council.

    The counts were read and the accused persons pleaded not guilty.

    The Defence counsel, Mr. C. A. K. Asheka (SAN) ,made application for their bail, which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel.

  • ICPC, others harp on war against corruption

    ICPC, others harp on war against corruption

    The Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday urged Nigerians to fight corruption for better society and success of the next generations.

    Mr Godwin Achile, the Chief Superintendent of the ICPC, gave the advice at the Symposium in commemoration of 2019 Disability awareness week organised by Centre for Citizens with Disabilities in Enugu.

    Achile said that corruption could be fought by everyone, irrespective of social status or physical disability.

    He noted that thorough and holistic implementation of the Disability Act would enable the persons living with disabilities to join in the fight against corruption.

    “Faithful implementation of the Act will help to achieve a desired goal in the fight against corruption in the country.

    “The fight against corruption is meant for everyone, including persons with disabilities; as they are part of the society and their participation in fighting corruption will help to reduce it,” he said.

    Similarly, the Attorney-General of Enugu State, Justice Priscilla Emehelum, represented by Mr Amaechi Ngene of Ministry of Justice, said that persons with disabilities were equally affected by corruption in the country and they might even be more affected.

    Emehelum called on the government to inaugurate National Commission for Persons with Disabilities without delay, to oversee the implementation of the Law at the states levels.

    She said that it was corruption that turned the country into the poverty capital of the world, in spite of her human and natural endowment.

    Also, Mr Gab Nnamani, the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities, Enugu Chapter, said that the domestication of the Act in the country would go a long way to reduce poverty among persons with disabilities.

    Nnamani added that the inclusion of the Person with Disabilities in every sector would give them the opportunity to join in resisting and fighting corruption.

    He said that the association would embark on sensitisation programmes to enable its members and the general public to be aware of the Act as well as the right of the Persons Living with Disabilities.

    A Resource Person, Mr Okey Kalu of Abia State Education Resources Centre, said it was the right of the Persons Living with Disabilities to have access to social services in the country.

    Kalu said that the Act provided that every person with disability should have the right to education without discrimination, as well as free healthcare.

    On his part, Mr Kola Ogunbiyi, Programme Manager, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, said that the awareness week was on how to address corruption in the country.

    According to Ogunbiyi, corruption could be minimised with the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of national life.

    He said that the awareness was also to encourage those with disabilities not to join in corrupt practices.

    He called on the Enugu State Government to pass the Persons with Disabilities’ Law, to make the physically challenged partake in activities of the government.

  • ICPC uncovers N5.6b constituency projects inserted in Foreign Affairs, Justice ministries’ budgets

    ICPC uncovers N5.6b constituency projects inserted in Foreign Affairs, Justice ministries’ budgets

    A Sum of N5.6 billion for Constituency Projects injected into the 2019 budget has been discovered, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye said at the weekend.

    According to him, the items were injected into the 2019 budget of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice.

    He said the estimates were included in zonal intervention projects.

    According to a statement by the spokesperson for the commission, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, the ICPC chairman stated this at a media roundtable in Abuja, to promote the ‘My Constituency, My Project’ initiative of the commission.

    He said a breakdown of the 2019 allocation for zonal interventional projects shows that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) would spend N2.9 billion on constituency projects.

    He said the allocation of N2.7 billion to the Ministry of Justice in the same budget “brings to the fore, some of the anomalies surrounding the implementation of constituency projects across the country.”

    He said constituency projects, which principally were projects and empowerment programmes designed to bring development to rural communities within the country had been included the budgets of MFA and other non-relevant ministries and agencies.

    Owasanoye said: “What is constituency project doing in Foreign Affairs? We will ask questions with this kind of allocation.”

    The ICPC boss also confirmed that “only about 60 percent of constituency projects have been completed with a lot of them executed in shoddy ways due to poor technical designs, impositions and other sundry irregularities.”

    “The commission will not give up on tracking of constituency projects as long as government keeps funding them,” he added.

    THe ICPC chairman pleaded with local communities to “own the projects for themselves.”

    Owasanoye also called for the handover of zonal intervention projects to local government authorities upon completion for effective maintenance and sustainability of the projects.

    He said: “If somebody had nominated a project and succeeded in getting the project to the community, it is not the duty of the person to maintain it.

    “Communities need to understand that it was public funds that were used. They need to take ownership. We recommend that the project needs to be handed over to the local government for the community to take over.”

    The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr. Garba Abari, who was also at the roundtable called for citizens’ participation in constituency projects.

    Abari said the active involvement of the communities in planning and execution of constituency projects would remove corruption and abuse.

    He said such ownership would ensure that contractors do not use substandard materials for the projects as well as ensure that completed projects were not vandalized when handed over.

  • ICPC nabs athletic federation scribe for ‘misappropriating’ IAAF’s $130,000

    ICPC nabs athletic federation scribe for ‘misappropriating’ IAAF’s $130,000

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has arrested the Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Mr Amaechi Akawu, for allegedly misappropriating 130,000 dollars.

    In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, in Abuja on Monday, the commission said the money belonged to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).

    “ICPC had received a petition alleging that he had failed to account for 130, 000 dollars mistakenly paid into the account of AFN in 2017 by IAAF.

    “IAAF had in a letter to AFN in March 2017, volunteered to grant 20, 000 dollars to the federation towards the successful hosting of the CAA Grand Prix Competition in Delta State, popularly known as 2017 Warri Relay Competition.

    “However, the international body for athletics while fulfilling the pledge, mistakenly paid $150, 000 to AFN in May, 2017, a sum which was far in excess of the $20, 000 grants it had earlier pledged.”

    ICPC explained that the IAAF quickly wrote to its Nigerian counterpart two months after the payment admitting the mistake, and promptly requested that the 130, 000 dollar excess be returned forthwith.

    “AFN is yet to refund the excess fund with Akawu as the Secretary General, claiming that the entire $130, 000 was spent on hosting the competition that held in July, 2017.

    “Details available to the commission have revealed several transactions on the account, which were originated by the Secretary General moments after the payment of the money.

    “ICPC found out that Akawu, acting without AFN Board, got several approvals for the release of the money through a series of letters to the then Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung.

    “On different occasions, he requested for and got approval for the release of N30.4 million, N4.9 million and $20, 000 all in the month of July, 2017 as expenses for the competition.

    “He also requested for N9.5 million in the same period, but N5 million was approved by the then Permanent Secretary,” the commission added.

    The ICPC said the suspect had yet to furnish it with proof of the expenditures, telling investigators that he had submitted all
    documents on how the 130, 000 dollars was spent by AFN to the minister.

    It stated that Akawu was detained on Oct. 22 following his arrest and was released on administrative bail the next day.

    His release was to enable him to submit some vital documents that were requested by investigators handling the case, according to the statement.

  • Obono-Obla drags ICPC to court

    The suspended Chairman of the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, has dragged the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC) to court challenging their investigation on the grounds that the agency is already prejudiced against him.

    Obono-Obla said he was never invited by the Commission and declaring him wanted in the media was an attempt to ridicule and embarrass him.

    According to a statement made available by Obono-Obla’s Counsel, F. Baba Isa, of FBI LEGAL, Abuja, the ICPC had been served with court processes in the said suit, but they have refused to react to the suit.

    The statement titled “RE: CHIEF OKOI OBONO OBLA DECLARED WANTED BY THE INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES COMMISSION, ICPC” read, “We are Solicitors to Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, and issue this Press Statement in that capacity.

    “Our attention was drawn to a widely circulated press release by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC wherein they declared Chief Okoi Obono Obla, the erstwhile Chairman of the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public property, wanted, for failing to honour a purported invitation extended to him pursuant to an investigation they claim they are conducting.

    “Though it is obvious that the whole intent of the ICPC Press Statement declaring Our Client wanted is an unfortunate episode in a well oiled media trial orchestrated to ridicule and embarrass a man who spent the last two years of his life fighting corruption to its knees, let us put some record straight as succinctly as possible.

    “Chief Okoi Obono Obla was never ever invited by the ICPC for an interview or questioning. Rather, we read on social media and blogs that a purported invitation letter was left at the law office of Obono, Obono & Associates, a law firm which Our Client resigned from since 2015 to accept the appointment of President Mohammadu Buhari, first to serve as Special Assistant on Prosecution and then as Chairman of the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property. The ICPC knew this; for they should know that he was not combining private legal practice and public service.

    “An invitation of this nature must be done by personal service on the invitee, failure of which the proper legal steps should be taken to serve the invitee through substituted means. ICPC cannot just drop a purported invitation letter meant for a person anywhere and claim that they have invited such a person. So, we repeat, Chief Okoi Obono Obla has never been invited by the ICPC.

    “Secondly, a case has been filed by Our Client against the ICPC challenging the purported investigation on the grounds that the agency is already prejudiced against him. Our Client took this action after a full blown media trial was launched against him. It was/is crystal clear that the ICPC has already declared him guilty even before they started their investigation. No sane man will trust an investigative agency to be fair, just and decent when it is clear from their conduct and posturing that such an agency has already taken sides.

    “The ICPC has been served with court processes in the said suit, but they have refused to react to the suit but rather they have chosen to carry on as a law unto themselves, ignoring the suit and going on with the media trial by declaring Our Client wanted without even first obtaining an order of court in that regard.

    “This is most unfortunate. The ICPC should obey the law and due process by first serving Our Client an invitation letter, joining issues with Our Client in court and when that is disposed off, one way or the other, justice can be said to have been done. To arrogantly ignore the case in court and carry on as they are doing cuts a riotous image of President Buhari’s administration. It paints the administration as one without adherence to the rule of law, one that sacrifices its anti-corruption crusaders for political expediency. It is most unfortunate.”

  • Another 26 FRSC officials arrested for alleged extortion – ICPC

    Another set of 26 officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has been arrested for alleged extortion of motorists in different parts of the country.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Okoduwa said the culprits were nabbed in a joint operation codenamed “Operation Tranquility”, involving operatives of the ICPC, FRSC and the Department of State Services (DSS).

    According to her, a man alleged to be the custodian of the proceeds of extortion, was also arrested in Owerri, Imo, during the exercise.

    She alleged that various sums of money were found on the suspects during the operation before they were taken into ICPC custody.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is coming less than three months after 37 FRSC officials were arrested in a similar operation in August.

    Okoduwa said the latest operation was conducted simultaneously in four states namely Imo, Ondo, Yobe and Zamfara, between Oct. 2 and Oct. 5.

    The exercise, according to her, followed official complaint from the management of the FRSC of extortionary activities by some marshals of its patrol teams nationwide.

    She said: “The FRSC management had, in the complaint, observed that incidents of extortion were rampant on highways across the country.

    “The just-concluded operation was conducted in the four states of Imo, Zamfara, Ondo and Yobe, which are not part of the six states where the earlier operation was carried out.”

    A breakdown of the new figure shows that nine officials and a civilian were arrested in Owerri; eight in Kaura-Namoda, Zamfara; five in Ore, Ondo, and four in Potiskum, Yobe.

    “All the officials and the civilian arrested have been granted administrative bail pending their prosecution by the commission at the conclusion of investigations,” she said.

  • Court adjourns N1bn suit against ICPC until Nov. 6

    The Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned a suit filed by Pinnacle Communications Ltd (PCL) against the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) until Nov. 6, for hearing.
    Pinnacle had filed the suit asking the court to order ICPC to pay it N1 billion for unlawfully withholding its money domiciled in Zenith bank without a valid court order.
    The matter which had been adjourned until Oct. 8 could not hold because the court did not sit.
    The judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, was said to be away on another official assignment.
    Other reliefs sought by Pinnacle include a declaration that the act of ICPC in ordering Zenith bank to place a “post-no-debit” restriction on its account without any court order was ultra vires, unlawful, injurious, unconstitutional and a breach of Pinnacle’s right to its movable property.
    “A declaration that the act of Zenith bank in placing a “post-no-debit” restriction on its account without any court order and or any valid order was unlawful and unconstitutional.”
    “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from placing any restriction on the plaintiff’s account with Zenith bank without a valid and competent court order.
    The matter has been adjourned until Nov. 6.