Group asks ICPC Chairman to investigate alleged looting in govt agencies, parastatals

A group campaigning for positive political change and gender parity, The Transformation Ambassadors (TTA) has urged the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Barr Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN) to launch a full-scale investigation into allegations of looting and misappropriation of funds in Federal Agencies and Parastatal with a view to recovering stolen funds.

Convener of the group, Dr Femi Omojuwa, in his review of the state of the economy, disclosed that public office holders embarking on looting spree is the bane on Nigeria’s economic growth.

Reports on fraudulent practices in government MDAs, he said, are at an alarming rate because no one has been sanctioned for stealing.

Omojuwa cited an instance of erstwhile JAMB registrar, Prof Dibu Ojerinde who is standing trial for over N5billion fraud allegation.

He however urged the Chairman of the Commission, Barr Owasanoye to beam the Commission’s searchlight on activities at Agencies and parastatals especially the National Theatre and ensure all allegations bordering on misappropriation of funds and looting of artefacts and assets of the parastatal are thoroughly investigated.

He said “Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented corruption and looting of commonwealth by public officers both elected and appointed. This trend continues unchecked because no one has been brought to justice. So far, I must commend the ICPC for investigating and prosecuting the ex-Registrar of JAMB, Prof Dibu Ojerinde, for fraud.

” This is commendable but it has to be replicated across Agencies and parastatals especially at this time the country is experience dearth of funds and finding it difficult to finance its budget.

” We have read in the news various allegations against the management of the National Theatre on how they engage in looting spree of assets of the parastatal without either the ICPC or the EFCC intervening to unearth the veracity or otherwise of the claims.

” We have heard of different groups claimed to have written several petitions against the management of the National Theatre to the Lagos office of the ICPC to expose the massive looting going on at the parastatal without any meaning headway.

” Despite the volume of allegations as we have seen and read in the media, I wonder why the Lagos ICPC has not made any headway in its investigation of allegations against the management of the National Theatre. The commission has not yielded any meaningful progress.

” And that explains our appeal to the Chairman of the Commission to look into this and other parastatal like it.”

He continued, “There was a time officials of the ICPC visited the National Theatre but rather than interrogate and investigate, they were seen exchanging banters.

” Some of the indicted officials were invited for interrogation. There were back and forth that has so far yielded any positive outcome. After being interrogated, the indicted officers returned to the parastatal boastful.

“Imagine the ICPC investigators being led by indicted directors and officers of the National Theatre. What do they expect to see? And after the whole charade and lack of professionalism by the ICPC, they ended up at the office of the GM for merriment and exchange of banter and he later saw them out of his office.

” The fact is, the ICPC has been compromised and that is why we are appealing to the Chairman of the ICPC, Barr Bolaji Owasanoye who we know as a man of honour and integrity to take over the investigation and ensure justice is served.

“The Auditor-General’s reports which indicted Prof Sunny Ododo is there and other evidences which established misappropriation of funds and also the artefacts and other valuables that were stolen are glaring, why is it taking the ICPC eternity to prosecute the alleged wrongdoings?

“The erstwhile Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed was informed about this development and even RATTAWU also wrote a petition to the former Minister against the management.

It is on this ground that we are appealing to the ICPC chairman to wade into the matter and save the National Theatre and other government agencies and parastatals from the claw of public officers who amassed public wealth for their selfish needs.”