N3 Billion fraud: ICPC arrests NSCDC officer, ex-naval chief

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested Adam Imam Yusuf, a Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kogi State, for allegedly diverting over N3 billion public fund. Yusuf, who had been on the run, was caught at his home in Gwagwalada, Abuja. Information available to Nigerian Anchor indicate that Yusuf and his co-travelers will soon be charged to court. Investigations by ICPC linked former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd.), and former Brigadier General Ishaya Bauka Gangum (rtd.) to the case.  The funds were allegedly misused through 92 unregistered companies. Some of the diverted money was traced to Lahab Integrated, Gate Coast Properties, and other firms.  These funds were reportedly used to acquire more than 18 properties, including filling stations. So far, four of these properties have been seized by the government, while legal action continues on the rest. ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare confirmed the arrests in Abuja and said efforts are ongoing to track down other suspects still at large.

Kogi Women Protest Alleged EFCC Harassment o Yahaya Bello, Call for Presidential Intervention

In what some observers have termed as a drama sketch being acted at the pleasure of the powers that be, a large crowd of women took to the streets on Saturday to protest what they called the harassment of former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The protesters appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, urging him to rein in the EFCC. They maintained that Bello had accomplished more for the state than any other governor since its inception. Led by various community leaders and political supporters, the women gathered in Lokoja, the state capital, denouncing what they called a politically motivated “witch-hunt” by the EFCC. The group urged the President to act swiftly by ensuring the EFCC allows the judiciary to handle the matter. They claimed that the agency’s actions earlier in the week were part of a targeted attempt to damage Bello’s reputation, warning that they would not stand idly by and watch his safety be jeopardized. “We stand with our leader, Yahaya Bello in this trying time. We believe he has been targeted unfairly and we demand justice. We won’t watch him lose his life,” one of the protesters, identified as Hajiya Halima Abass, said. “The EFCC should focus on genuine cases of corruption, not political vendetta,” another protester, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Boluwaji, added. The various women group leaders, who spoke in their local dialects – Igala, Ebira, Yoruba and others – urged the EFCC to be professional in its “handling of the case against the state leader, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.” They chanted songs, saying that Kogi people were fearless people and reiterated that they would not stand by and continue watching what they called a show of shame, especially after the former governor had made himself available to EFCC. They wondered why the EFCC refused to interrogate or detain him while he was in their office but rather went shooting at night at the Kogi Government Lodge to arrest a man who had voluntarily walked up to them earlier in the day. “We Kogi people of Ebira descent cherish what our son, Yahaya Bello, did for us as governor. That is why we’re out on the streets to ask EFCC to leave him alone. “We are not giving him out to anyone to crucify. He will come back to us hale and hearty,” one of the women leaders from Ebiraland, who simply identified herself as Hajiya Fatima, said. “We, the Igala people from Kogi East, we are here because of our leader, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. He has never done anything bad to us. To those people that are looking to take him, please leave him alone. We have never seen the kind of his government before. He did well for the state,” another women leader who identified herself as Deborah said.

Alleged N600m Fund Diversion: ICPC Quizzes Top Agric Ministry Officials 

*Seizes landed properties, including bakery, herbal hospital, N250 million The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has invited for questioning, four senior officials in the Department of Farm Inputs Supports Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, over alleged diversion of funds meant for monitoring exercise and sensitisation programmes. The civil servants invited by the ICPC are the Director of the Department Mr. Kwaido Sani, Deputy Director Mr. Buba Ardo Ishaku, Mr. Elam Sam, and Head of Accounting Unit Mrs Morenike Damola.  The ICPC invitation was via a letter referenced: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/220, addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, drawing the attention of the Head, Farm Inputs Support Services Department. The letter dated July 19, 2023 and signed by Akeem Lawal, Director, Operation, on behalf of the ICPC Chairman, was received and acknowledged on July 20, by the office of the Permanent Secretary. Titled: “Investigation Activities”, the Commission stated that it was investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Relates Offences Act 2000. “Pursuant to Section 28 of the said Act, you are kindly requested to release the underlisted persons to appear before the undersigned at the ICPC headquarters on Thursday, July 20, 2023” the letter stated. Another similar letter referenced: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/222, dated July 21, 2023, was written by the ICPC to the Permanent Secretary (Agric Ministry) for the attention of the Director, Finance and Account. The letter titled, “Investigation Activities” requested Permanent Secretary to release the Director, Finance and Account to appear at the ICPC. “The Commission is investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. “Pursuant to Section 28 of the above Act, you are kindly requested to release the Director, Finance and Account to appear before the undersigned on Wednesday 26th July, 2023 at the ICPC Headquarters Abuja, by 10:00am. “The officer is to come along with Certified True Copies of the under listed documents of ALL payments made to the following staff of Department of Farm Input Support Services Department from 1st January 2022 to date. Kwaido Mohammed S; Buba Ishaku Ardo; Damola Morenike; Elam Sam; Aminu Dayyabu Mohammed; Mohammed Ayuba George and Chimezie Bright” the letter stated. The documents requested by the ICPC were payment vouchers, minutes of authorizing the payment, authority letter to make payment, and any other relevant documents.  It was learnt that the civil servants were arrested in a sting operation in their office and ended up being remanded in the ICPC custody for five days, aside the Director that was released on health ground. A source hinted that a cummulative amount of over N600m withdrawals were made from one of the Director’s account and changed to dollars and allegedly given to the Permanent Secretary.  Asides this, it was learnt that huge sums of money were allegedly moved from the accounts of the department into private accounts of the affected civil servants.  Also, it was gathered that over N200m was found in the bank account of one of the officials that was grilled, while over N100m was found in the bank account of one of his children. A source said that over N250m cash was found in the Abuja house of one of the suspects just as investigation by the ICPC detectives revealed an inflow of over N60m in six months into the bank account of one of the suspects. The ICPC has also seized landed properties, including a bakery and one herbal hospital, it was revealed. In addition, it was said that over N200m was discovered from the account of one of the civil servants, over N100m also found in the child’s account, with over N250m cash found in his house around Lokogoma /Prince and Princess, 2 mansion properties at Karu Abuja, 2 plazas in Abuja; one around Lokogoma and the second at Karu, Abuja, one bakery, one herbal hospital. Also, a building property at Apo resettlement and another at Dawaki, an account linked to 2 companies account with huge sums of money etc were said to have been allegedly linked to the civil servants.  Speaking on grounds of anonymity, a source said, “The world is watching to see how this case will be handled by the ICPC despite overwhelming evidences against the PS, Director, Deputy Director and the other 3 staff. “It appears the investigation of the case has been stalled because the five senior staff of the department has resumed office, carry on as if nothing happened and have also continued work. “Some staff are being targeted and witch-hunted in the Department because of this issue.  “This is to draw the attention of the ICPC Chairman so that Nigerians will know what’s going on and to avoid the image of ICPC not to be tarnished because.”