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Tag: ICPC

  • ICPC arraigns Ex-JAMB registrar Ojerinde, Children, 6 others

    ICPC arraigns Ex-JAMB registrar Ojerinde, Children, 6 others

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has arraigned the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Dibu Ojerinde over allegations bordering on official corruption, abuse of office and forgery.

    Professor Ojerinde was docked alongside his children, Mary Funmilola Ojerinde, Olumide Abiodun Ojerinde, Adebayo Ojerinde, Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde and six companies linked to him, namely: Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Limited, Cheng Marbles Limited, Sapati International Schools Limited, Trillium Learning Centre Limited, Standout Institutes Limited and Esli Perfect Security Printers Limited.

    ICPC in a Charge No: FHC//ABJ/CR/119/2023, brought before Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court 7, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, informed the Court of the multiple layers of fraudulent identities and conspiracies designed by the defendants to conceal crimes.

    In one count out of a 17-count charge, the Commission through its counsel, Mr. Ebenezer Shogunle, told the Court of how the former JAMB boss conspired with three of his children (Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde, Olumide Abiodun Ojerinde and Adebayo Ojerinde) to sell off property worth One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000:00) situated at House No. 4 Ahomko Drive, Achimota Phase 2, Accra, Ghana even after the property had been forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

     

  • Trouble for Wike as pressure mounts for EFCC, ICPC to probe former Governor

    Trouble for Wike as pressure mounts for EFCC, ICPC to probe former Governor

    A Federal High Court has been asked to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the Rivers spendings during the tenure of ex-Governor Nyesom Wike.

    The suit, filed by Sir Precious Elekima and a group, Incorporated Trustees of Peoples Life Improvement Foundation (PLIF), also urged the court to direct the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police to step into the matter.

    In the suit marked: FHC/PH/CS/199/2023 filed on May 30 in the Port-Harcourt division of the court, the applicants averred that Wike allegedly diverted huge funds belonging to the state.

    Elekima and the PLIF said their resort to the court was as a result of the alleged failure of the I-G, the EFCC and the ICPC to act on their petition dated May 23, 2023, which had since been submitted to them.

    Elekima and the PLIF want the court to among others, declare the 1st to 3rd respondents (the IGP, the EFCC and the ICPC) have the statutory duties and powers to investigate their petition against Wike and some named bankers in Rivers “and to prosecute any of them found to have contravened any law within their respective statutory mandates.”

    They equally want the court to issue “an order of mandamus directing the 1st to 3rd respondents to investigate the criminal allegations made to them against the 4th to 16th respondents (Wike and the banks) in the said petition and prosecute them or any of them found culpable of the said criminal allegations.”

    Elekima and the PLIF claimed that they possess information and documents showing that huge funds were diverted from the Rivers’ coffers during Wike’s tenure.

    They stated that in the course of their official activities, they became aware and have reason to reasonably suspect and believe that the 4th respondent in his capacity as governor, fraudulently withdraw N117 billion belonging to the Rivers Government.

    This, they said, is in excess of the threshold permitted by extant laws and financial regulations with intent to misappropriate and divert same and did in fact divert same for his personal benefit.”

    Elekima and the PLIF added that they “reasonably suspect that the 4th respondent, in conspiracy with other officials of the Government of Rivers State and 5th  to 16th respondents fraudulently withdrew, laundered and embezzled huge funds from the Rivers State internally generated revenue collected and domiciled in several accounts with the 5th to 16th respondents.”

    They alleged that they  “reasonably suspect that the 4th respondent also diverted and fraudulently misappropriated huge public funds belonging to the Government and people of Rivers State to his private use.

    Filed along with the suit for judicial review, is a motion ex-parte in which they are seeking leave to apply for an order of mandamus and for service of originating summons on the 1st to 3rd respondents in Abuja.

    Rivers banks listed in the suit are: Access Bank, Ecobank, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Fidelity, Guaranty Trust, Unity Bank, Union Bank, Wema, Zenith, First Bank and Heritage Bank.

  • ICPC urges Nigerians to report corrupt public office holders

    ICPC urges Nigerians to report corrupt public office holders

    … says Commission needs citizens’ collaboration

     

    The Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged Nigerians to report corrupt individuals in public offices to assist in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

    The Commission, which has been educating the public against corruption through implementing the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP), says citizens remain critical to instilling integrity in society by promptly reporting corrupt acts, especially persons in public office.

    ICPC’s Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Alhaji Mohammed Ashiru Baba, made the call during PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, an anti-corruption radio programme produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, Wednesday in Abuja.

    Speaking on the operations of the Commission, Baba stressed that “ICPC is not populated by spirits but human beings who need information from the public to tackle corruption.”

    “Citizens assume that the government should do it alone. When you discover that somebody has a case in ICPC or EFCC or Code of Conduct Bureau and he’s occupying a position of trust, what do you do? Did you report?

    “Let us always be honest. ICPC or EFCC are not populated with spirits. We are not spirits, actually. We said, if you see something, say something. That is what voice and participation is all about.

    “When the government is appointing permanent secretaries and other public office holders they send their names to ICPC and we conduct due diligence on them to ensure that they are very clean and they don’t have any skeleton of their cupboard, so to that extent, we participate in ensuring that the round peg is placed in a round hole.

    “But if you (citizens) come across any person with cases in ICPC or EFCC yet the person is given a position of trust, please, you all have to report to ICPC immediately. All you need to do is to access our website or various social media platforms and let us know.

    “We (ICPC) don’t take kindly to any violation of the core values of the national ethics and integrity policy, especially integrity. Once you take bribes or you give out bribes of gratification, you have violated the core values of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy. It’s not only about punishment. We also have the reward regime to encourage those who uphold integrity,” Baba stated.

    He noted that the Commission is working in synergy with other anti-corruption agencies to reduce corruption appreciably, reminding citizens that they are entitled to follow up on the progress of petitions they filed with ICPC rather than become passive or just complain.

    Baba revealed that the teaching of integrity and ethics had been completely infused in primary and secondary schools and colleges of education in the country. He added that the Commission had gotten assurances on the further infusion of NEIP in the curriculum of public universities in Nigeria.

    “ICPC is prioritizing value rejuvenation, resuscitation and behavioural change amongst Nigerians to reduce corruption using the National Ethics and Integrity Policy.”

    He also added that ICPC had enjoyed the support and cooperation of the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari administration in implementing NEIP and expects the incoming administration to continue in the same vein.

    Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program used by PRIMORG to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

    The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.

  • EFCC, ICPC ask court to dismiss Keyamo’s suit seeking Atiku’s probe

    EFCC, ICPC ask court to dismiss Keyamo’s suit seeking Atiku’s probe

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has prayed a Federal High Court, Abuja to dismiss a suit by Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, seeking the probe and prosecution of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) also urged Justice James Omotosho to discountenance Keyamo’s case.
    The minister, who was als the spokesperson, Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), in the suit filed on Jan. 20, had sought an order compelling the EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to probe and prosecute Abubakar following claims by one of his ex-aides, Michael Achimugu, that between 1999 and 2007 when he was vice president, he conspired with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to rip off the country using what he termed “Special Purpose Vehicles.”

    At the resumed on Wednesday, lawyers to the EFCC and ICPC, Samuel Okeleke and Mrs. O B. Odogu, in two separate preliminary objections, faulted the competence of the suit and prayed the court to dismiss it.

    Okeleke argued that Keyamo did not comply with the requirement of the law in filing the suit, arguing that he ought to have first obtained the leave of the court in seeking to compel an agency of the government to act.

    The lawyer contended that having failed to comply with the rules, the suit should not be accorded any attention.

    Mrs. Odogu argued that Keyamo did not approach her agency properly, adding that the ICPC works discreetly.

    “We do discrete investigation. He (Keyamo) gave us 72 hours ultimatum within which to investigate and prosecute the 1st defendant.

    “That is not how we operate. We take our time to do discreet investigation,” she said.

    Lawyer to Atiku, Benson Igbanoi, also faulted the competence of the suit while arguing the preliminary objection he filed for his client.

    Igbanoi, who accused Keyamo of engaging in abuse of office, urged the court to decline jurisdiction among other grounds, that  no cause of action was disclosed by the plaintiff.

    He urged the court to disregard the response filed against his preliminary objection by the plaintiff, arguing that it was filed outside the seven days allowed under the court’s rules.

    Keyamo’s lawyer, O. C. Uju, urged the court to dismiss the objections raised by the defendants and proceeded to hear the case on the merit.

    Uju queried the competence of Atiku’s objection, arguing that it was filed when the court had not assumed jurisdiction over the case and before he could be served with the originating processes.

    Justice Omotosho, after entertaining the arguments by lawyers to the parties, adjourned until June 5 for ruling in the preliminary objections.

  • Alleged fraud: ICPC arraigns ex-JAMB Registrar, 4 children on 17-count

    Alleged fraud: ICPC arraigns ex-JAMB Registrar, 4 children on 17-count

    The Federal Government is to arraign Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, former Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on seven-count charge bordering on money laundering at a Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Ojerinde is being arraigned alongside his four children; Mary Funmilola, Olumide Abiodun, Adedayo, and Oluwaseun Adeniyi, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

    Ojerinde and his companies are currently facing a money laundering charge to the tune of N5 billion before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

    He was accused to have diverted public funds while he served as National Examinations Council and JAMB registrar.

    However, in this fresh charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/119/23, the ex-JAMB boss and his four children were included.

    Also joined in the charge are

    In the charge are all his companies which include: Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Ltd, Cheng Marbles Ltd, Sapati International Schools Ltd, Trillium Learnings Centre Ltd, and Standout Institutes Ltd.

    Ojerinde and the ten defendants’ were yet to take a plea as at the time of filing the reports.

  • EFCC, ICPC to respond in Keyamo’s suit against Atiku

    EFCC, ICPC to respond in Keyamo’s suit against Atiku

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, indicated its intention to respond in a suit filed by Festus Keyamo against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Feb. 25 poll.

    This was also as Oluwakemi Odogun, lawyer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, Abuja of commission’s plan to file its response in the case.

    Keyamo, a spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), had instituted the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 against Abubakar over allegations bordering on money laundering.

    Also joined as defendants in the suit include the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), ICPC and the EFCC as 2nd to 4th defendants respectively.

    Keyamo had earlier asked law enforcement agencies to arrest Abubakar based on an audio recording released by Michael Achimugu, his former aide.

    In the audio, the former vice-president was alleged to have explained how shell organisations were set up to divert public funds.

    NAN reports that Justice Omotosho had, on March 7, threatened to strike out the suit over Keyamo’s inability to diligently prosecute the case.

    Upon resumed hearing, Keyamo’s counsel, Okechukwu Uju-azorji, informed that the matter was slated for hearing.

    Uju-azorji said that the former vice president, the 1st defendant, served on him a preliminary objection and that they had responded.

    The lawyer said Abubakar, however, was not represented in court today to take his application.

    He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the 1st defendant take his objection.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Senami Adeosun,, who also prayed the court for a short time to enable them file their process in the suit, said they were still within time to respond.

    Odogun, who represented ICPC, spoke in the same vein.

    “We were served on March 15 with the originating processes. We sought an adjournment since we are within time to file,” she said.

    The judge adjourned the matter until April 18 for hearing of the pending preliminary objection.

    Omotosho, who ordered that hearing notices be issued to Abubakar and CCB, that were not represented in court, directed that parties interested in filing any application should do so before the next adjourned date.

    In a preliminary objection filed by Abubakar’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the ex-vice president sought an order striking out or dismissing the suit for being incompetent and want of locus standi.

    The lawyer, who argued that the suit be dismissed for want of jurisdiction, said the case failed to disclose reasonable cause of action against his client.

    But Keyamo, in a counter affidavit deposed to by Henry Offiah, a litigation clerk in his chamber, averred that the CCB, ICPC and EFCC failed to respond to the allegations he raised against Abubakar and indeed failed to take any steps to invite or arrest him for the purpose of investigating the allegations against him.

    He said on Jan. 16, he wrote a petition to the three agencies requesting them to invite former vice president for the purpose of conducting investigations into the said allegations.

    He said but they refused to commence any form of investigation with respect to the allegations leveled against him

    Keyamo said he was aggrieved and instituted the present action on Jan. 20.

    “The allegations made against the 1st defendant (Abubakar) are the subject matter of the investigation sought by the plaintiff and the plaintiff seeks reliefs against the 1st defendant,” the document read.

    He said it was in the interest of justice for the court to dismiss Abubakar’s preliminary objection.mnh

  • Buhari swears-in reappointed ICPC board members

    Buhari swears-in reappointed ICPC board members

    President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in seven reappointed board members for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related offences (ICPC).

    The ceremony, which took place in the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, was conducted before the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by the President.

    The  seven reappointed board members are: Justice Adamu Bello (retd) Katsina State; Hannatu Mohammed (Jigawa State;, Olubukola Balogun (Lagos State) and Obiora Igwedibia (Anambra State).

    Others are Dr. Abdullahi Saidu (Niger State); Yahaya Umar Dauda (Nasarawa State) and Grace Chinda (Rivers State).

    ThneNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the ICPC is a Nigerian agency that was inaugurated on 29 September 2000 following the recommendation of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The mandate is to receive and investigate reports of corruption and in appropriate cases prosecute the offender(s), to examine, review and enforce the correction of corruption-prone systems and procedures of public bodies, with a view to eliminating corruption in public life, and to educate and enlighten the public on and against corruption and related offences with a view to enlisting and fostering public support for the fight against corruption.

    The Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000 governs the committee’s activities.

    In August 2009, the ICPC started investigations into an alleged N90 billion fraud leveled against managers of Pension Fund for retirees in the health sector.

    In September 2009, the ICPC summoned officials of the Ministry of Education linked with the alleged mismanagement of N1 billion meant for the Education Reform Programme.

    In March 2015, ICPC made public the status of criminal cases within its precinct as at March 2015. The list contained 267 criminal cases between 2001 and 2015, and 142 civil cases between 2007 and 2015

  • President Buhari swears in seven ICPC board members

    Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday sworn in Seven board members of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) for a duration of four years.

    The ceremony  which was preceded by the Federal Executive meeting took place  at the State House, Abuja early Wednesday, Morning.

    Buhari, who administered the oath of office to the re-appointee ICPC members, charged them to be diligent and committed to their duties.

    The members include Justice Adamu Bello (retd.), Katsina State; Hannatu Mohammed (Jigwa State), Olubukola Balogun (Lagos State), Obiora Igwedibia (Anambra State), Dr. Abdullahi Saidu (Niger State), Yahaya Dauda (Nasarawa State), and Grace Chinda (Rivers State).

    All seven board members were first inaugurated by Buhari in 2019, with their renewed term of office to elapse in March 2027.

  • ICPC ‘accosts’ N2m being ferried to a politician in Bauchi

    ICPC ‘accosts’ N2m being ferried to a politician in Bauchi

    The Bauchi State Office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has taken into custody one Hassan Ahmad in possession of the sum of two million naira cash in both old and new currencies amid the cash crunch being witnessed in the country.

    The suspect was arrested on Friday by the Troops of 33 Artillery Brigade Operation Safe Conduct deployed in Alkaleri in Bauchi State and handed over to the Bauchi State Office of the anti-graft agency.

    Ahmad was in possession of N900,000 cash in new naira notes and N1.1 million in old naira notes, and the funds were being conveyed in a tinted black Hilux vehicle with registration number JMA 85 AZ.

    The funds, which were packed in a “Ghana Must Go” bag, comprised six bundles of one thousand naira new notes of N600,000; six bundles of five hundred naira new notes of N300,000, and old two hundred naira notes of N1.1 million.”

    The suspect has confessed that the funds were being moved to Gombe State for a politician.

    Further investigation by the Commission is ongoing.

    Signed
    Mrs. Azuka Ogugua
    Spokesperson,
    ICPC
    24th February, 2023

  • Nollywood actress remanded in prison for tampering with Naira notes

    Nollywood actress remanded in prison for tampering with Naira notes

    Nollywood actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, popularly known as Simisola Gold, has been remanded at Kirikiri prison by a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    On Monday, February 13th, she was detained pending the outcome of her bail request, facing allegations of tampering with Naira currency notes. She was brought before Judge Chukwujekwu Aneke and charged with two counts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Nollywood actress, Simisola Gold remanded in Kirikiri prison for tampering with Naira notes

    One of the counts reads, “that you Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin on the 28th day of January, 2023 at Monarch event center, Lekki within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100,000.00 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

    The second reads, “that you Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin on the 28th day of January, 2023 at Monarch event center, Lekki within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by dancing on same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

    The defendant pleaded not guilty and as a result, the prosecution counsel, S.I Sulaiman, requested a trial date and requested that the defendant is remanded in Kirikiri prison.

    Nollywood actress, Simisola Gold remanded in Kirikiri prison for tampering with Naira notes

    Judge Aneke postponed the decision on the bail request until Wednesday, February 15, 2023, and ordered the defendant to be held at Kirikiri correctional facility.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the actress was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) who later handed her over to the EFCC.