Ganduje Reacts As Kano Gov’t Speaks on Allegations Over Missing Corruption File

Abba Kabir Yusuf, Gov, Kano State

Former Kano State Governor, and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has fired back at the Kano State government over allegations that he masterminded the disappearance of a corruption file from a courthouse. Ganduje denied the allegations, accusing the state government of orchestrating the violence that led to the file’s disappearance. In a statement, Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, claimed that the state government was responsible for the violence and the missing file. Olofu stated that the allegations against Ganduje were baseless and comical and that the state government was trying to divert attention from their own culpability. Not done, former Governor Ganduje called for a federal investigation into the matter, demanding that those responsible for the violence and the missing file be brought to justice.

ICPC vows to sanction corrupt state legislators 

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged to address corruption among members of state Houses of Assembly. Musa Aliyu, the ICPC Chairman, made this statement on Tuesday in Abuja during the opening of a three-day workshop for Jigawa State legislators. The workshop, titled “Transparency and Accountability: Effective Legislative Tools Towards Successful Mandate Delivery,” focused on enhancing legislative effectiveness. Aliyu expressed concern about widespread corruption in the country and stressed the need for legislators to uphold integrity in all aspects of their roles.  He assured that the ICPC is committed to working with state legislatures to combat corruption effectively. “We are prepared to collaborate with the state legislatures to advance our fight against corruption, as we have with other branches and levels of government,” Aliyu said. “However, we will not hesitate to take decisive action when necessary.” He emphasized that the ICPC would continue to fulfill its mandate of enforcement, prevention, public education, and mass mobilization within the bounds of the law. Aliyu also highlighted the importance of prioritizing national interest over personal or collective interests, as demonstrated by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. “The principle of separation of powers must be upheld; any encroachment on the functions of the executive or judiciary undermines democracy and good governance,” Aliyu stated.  He added that the legislature has a crucial role in identifying waste, inefficiency, corruption, and mismanagement of public resources. Effective execution of these functions requires transparency and accountability, underscoring the significance of the workshop.

N1.8bn fraud: ICPC sues Abubakar Abdulahi Sambo, REA official

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will arraign a staff member of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abubakar Sambo, (Abubakar Abdullahi Sambo ) for allegedly paying N1.835 billion for an unauthorized project supervision exercise. This is contained in ICPC’s charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/ CR/209/2024 and filed on May 10, 2024, by Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, Assistant Chief Legal Officer, ICPC. The defendant is sued before the Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly paying N1.835 billion to some persons for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approval. In the three-count charge, the anti-graft agency accused the defendant of allegedly using his password to access the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform of REA to finalize the payments. ICPC maintained that the development contravenes the Cybercrime Act, Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, and Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The charges read, “That you ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI SAMBO (M) sometime in March, 2023 оr thereabout while being a public officer I.e., Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform of Rural Electrification Agency at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did finalize the payment of the total sum of N1,835,000,000.00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira) in different tranches for the use of Henmentta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approval thereby contributing to the economic adversity of the Rural Electrification Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 68 of the Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, CAP. P39, Laws of the Federation, 2004 “That you ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI SAMBO (M) sometime in March, 2023 or thereabout while being a public officer i.e, Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management System platform of Rural Electrification Agency at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your access password to access the Government Integrated Financial Management information System platform of Rural Electrification Agency and finalized the payment of the total sum of N1,835,000,000,00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira) in different tranches for the use of Henrientta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without authority and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6(4) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015. “That you ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI SAMBO (M) sometime in March, 2023 or thereabout while being a public officer i.e., Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform of Rural Electrification Agency at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did confer corrupt advantage on Henrrientta Onomen Okajle, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye when you used your access password to access the Government Integrated Financial Management System platform of Rural Electrification Agency and finalized the payment of the total sum of N1,835,000,000.00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira) in different tranches for the use of Henrientta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejake Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approvals and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

TETFund Denies Allegations of Misconduct Amidst ICPC Claims

In a twist to recent developments, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, has refuted assertions made by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding his alleged custody.  Contrary to ICPC’s statements, Echono maintained that he remains in his office and was not detained. The ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, previously stated that Echono was in their custody for questioning, indicating an ongoing investigation.  However, Echono clarified that while an official from TETFund was indeed invited by the ICPC for document submission, they have since been released. These developments follow earlier reports, revealing TETFund’s awarding of contracts totaling N7.6 billion to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing without the required approval from the federal executive council.  The contracts, aimed at enhancing capacity-building courses and learning management systems for 2 million students across higher institutions, raised concerns about due process. In response to the allegations, TETFund issued a rejoinder denying any wrongdoing and emphasizing adherence to due process in its procurement activities. 

Non-service of charge stalls Binance, executives arraignment by FIRS, EFCC

The arraignment of Binance Holdings Limited and two of its executives; Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, Thursday, stalled over non-service of charge by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). FIRS is prosecuting the defendants on a four-count charge bordering on alleged tax evasion. Similarly, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) arraignment of the defendants on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering couldn’t be held because of the non-service of charge on the first defendant. The EFCC, in the charge, dated and filed on March 28, the defendants are being accused of money laundering to the tune of $35,400,000. When the matter was called for the defendants to take their plea before Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja, only Gambaryan was represented by a lawyer. The company and Anjarwalla, who recently escaped from lawful custody, were not represented by any lawyer. However, Gambaryan’s lawyer, Chukwuka Ikwuazo, SAN, told the court that his client had not been served with the charge. Hence, his arraignment can not proceed. In his response, counsel to FIRS, Moses Ideho, though acknowledged that the agency had not served Gambaryan’s with the charge, he said all efforts to do so proved abortive because the defendant could not be reached at the EFCC’s detention. Ideho then prayed the court to serve Gambaryan in the open court, and the judge directed that the charge be served on him in the dock. He orally applied for a stand-down of the matter or an adjournment to enable Gambaryan to consult with his lawyer. Ikwuazo did not object to an oral application for adjournment, and the matter was adjourned until April 19 for him to take his plea. In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, dated and filed March 22 by the FIRS, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offence on or about Feb. 1. Count one alleged that while involved in carrying and offering services to subscribers on their platform, known as Binance, failed to register with the FIRS, for the purpose of paying all relevant taxes administered by the service. The offences are said to be punishable under Sections 8 and 29 of the VAT Act of 1993 (as Amended), Section 40 of the FIRS Establishment Act, 2007 (as amended) and under provisions of Section 94 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended) respectively. Meanwhile, the EFCC, in the first count, claimed that the defendants were charged with operating a specialised business of another financial institution in Abuja without a valid license between January 2023 and January 2024. The offence is alleged to violate Sections 57(1) and (2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020, and is punishable under Section 57(5) of the same Act.

Alleged sexual harassment: Court grants UNICAL Prof N250m bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N250 million bail to the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, UNICAL, Professor Cyril Ndifon. Prof Ndifon is facing a trial over alleged sexual harassment and gratification case instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The court also granted his lawyer Sunny Anyanwu bail to the tune of N50m among other stringent bail conditions. The court granted them bail on the condition that they will produce two sureties who own properties within FCT with a minimum valuation of 150 million and must submit their bank statements to the court. The court also held that defendants must file an undertaking not to interfere with the case, readiness to attend trial and not to cause delay. Sequel to not guilty plea, Counsel to Joe Agi and Solomon Umoh had urged the court to grant their clients bail on liberal terms, but the prosecution counsel countered the bail application, asking the court to dismiss. Ruling on the bail on Friday, Justice James Omotosho held that while bail is a constitutional right, the court must be guided by the nature of a charge and the possibility of the accused person interfering with the case against him, among other things. He said the defendants are facing sexual harassment offenses through requesting nude videos but they are not capital offense like terrorism. Justice Omotosho however adjourned the matter to February 12, for continuation of hearing. Professor Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Sunny Anyanwu as 1st and 2nd defendants on an amended four-count charge of sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice. Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22, by the ICPC on the allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.

ICPC Launches N3.8bn Projects’ Tracking In Sokoto

ICPC Launches N3.8bn Projects’ Tracking In Sokoto

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has initiated the tracking of 72 executive and constituency projects valued at over N3.8 billion in Sokoto State. The investigative effort falls under Phase 6 of the ‘ICPC Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking (CEPT)’ programme, which is currently underway in several states across the country. Mr Sa’idu Yahaya, the Team Leader, on Monday announced that it would be inspecting projects across various sectors, including health, education, water supply, empowerment and electrification. “These projects were awarded at an approximate cost of N3.8 billion and are expected to be fully executed. “Our group, consisting of members from the ICPC, the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Civil Society Organizations, and the Media, will commence the exercise. “This is in order to monitor and assess projects’ performance, the value of work done, contractor identification, payment details, and project status,” he said. Yahaya added that part of the team’s goal was to determine the value and impact of these projects on the communities they serve. The team had visited the newly constructed and equipped Faculty of Engineering at the Sokoto State University. Other projects include a newly constructed block of classrooms and furnishings at Tafida Aminu Primary School and the installation of 38 solar street lights in the Mabera area of Sokoto South local Government.

Job Racketeering: ICPC begins investigation of bribery allegation against Reps C’ttee

Job Racketeering: ICPC begins investigation of bribery allegation against Reps C’ttee

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced investigation into bribery allegations against the House of Representatives Committee on job racketeering and gross mismanagement in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).Azuka Ogugua, spokesperson for ICPC, said this in a statement at the weekend in Abuja.Ogugua said that the ICPC received petitions from an online medium, Premium Times Nigeria; and Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Chairman of the ad hoc committee, to investigate bribery allegations against the probe panel. The online medium published a story alleging that some members of the committee requested vice chancellors and heads of tertiary institutions to pay certain amounts to an account as bribes. The story also claimed that the account was dedicated for the purpose of giving a soft landing to any institutions’ that would pay the bribe money into it during the investigation. Members of the committee were also said to have engaged in extortion from heads of MDAs, including those of academic institutions. On Thursday, Gagdi had had said the committee wrote to ICPC to investigate the allegations of bribery and extortion against the members of the committee. The chairman said that the committee had written to ICPC to investigate the account number allegedly released to heads of tertiary institutions for payment of the bribe. “I have already written to the ICPC to investigate the account number that was published by an online medium the owner of that account, whether there is any transaction by vice chancellors and rectors of polytechnic in the country.” Gagdi threatened that the committee would take legal action against the online medium over the publication, which aim, he said, was to “blackmail and discredit” the committee.