CCB grills OSOPADEC officials over alleged N400m diversion

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Wednesday questioned top officials of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) over an alleged N400 million fraud.

Those invited to the bureau’s office in Akure included the commission’s Secretary, Mrs Abike Bayo-Ilawole, and two directors.

Bayo-Ilawole, recently promoted to the rank of Permanent Secretary in the state, was accused of being linked to the alleged diversion of about N400 million belonging to the commission. She was said to have channelled the funds into a private bank account reportedly associated with her father.

Speaking after her session with CCB officials, Bayo-Ilawole said she was invited over claims of misappropriation but denied any wrongdoing.

According to her, the figures mentioned during questioning were around N463 million, insisting that official records would clarify the transactions and prove that no funds were diverted.

She also dismissed claims that money was paid into her father’s account, explaining that the transactions were tied to projects executed over time and not a one-off payment.

The secretary maintained that the funds were used for projects including school renovations, transformers, office upgrades, and other works in riverine communities, stressing that due process was followed.

Also speaking, the commission’s Director of Project Planning and Development, Engineer Olukorede Adeshina-Oladapo, said the projects were carried out through direct labour with government approval, adding that no money was missing and that some unspent funds remained in the commission’s account.