FG goes after ‘super rich’ civil servants

The Federal Government’s anti-corruption operatives are now going after ‘super rich’ public officers who have multiple properties and other assets suspected to have been the rewards of graft.

It was learnt, that the searchlight of the anti-corruption agents was on civil servants that possess many properties in the Federal Capital Territory.

It was gathered that in Abuja on Wednesday, operatives in the Assets Tracing, Recovery and Management Unit of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission had been asked to invite suspects for interrogation and recovery of ill-gotten assets in their possession.

 

It was gathered that the ICPC had strengthened the ATRMU by posting more personnel to the unit to ensure the success of its campaign.

 

An operative at the ICPC, who confided in one of our correspondents, said the ICPC was using the anti-corruption transparency unit of the commission in ministries, departments and agencies to coordinate the ongoing investigation of the “super rich” civil servants in the country.

 

It was learnt that the ICPC was relying on petitions from civil servants and the ACTU operatives to carry out its investigations into the activities of the affected civil servants.

It was gathered that the ICPC operatives’ focus had been on civil servants who have more than three properties and a fleet of cars beyond their income.

 

Although the source did not mention the number of civil servants that had been interrogated in relation to the new move to check fraud in the civil service, it was learnt that several personnel of the civil service had been placed under watch by the ICPC.

 

The source said any civil servant found to have compromised his office to acquire wealth would be charged to court after the proceeds of the corrupt acts would have been confiscated by the Federal Government.

 

The source said,

“The ICPC is intensifying efforts to retrieve some of these stolen assets from those involved.

“You know that the commission has a unit called the Assets Tracing, Recovery and Management Unit. This is the unit that is involved in probing those who have such assets with stolen funds.

“In fact the operatives are working very discreetly on the issue but the focus of the ICPC’s probe is the civil service.

“Those civil servants living a life beyond their means, their lifestyles are under watch. People are monitoring them, whistle-blowers are writing petitions and the Assets Recovery Unit is following up on them.

“Another thing is that we have the Anti-Corruption Transparency Units in all the agencies; these units are being supervised by our officers. They are collaborating with whistle-blowers in the various ministries and agencies…”

The Resident Consultant, Media and Events of the ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti, said that he was aware of the presence of the ARMTU and its constitutional functions but asked our correspondent to call back for a response on the current investigation.

Buhari's appointments has shown his hatred for Igbos - Ohaneze

The Anambra State president of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Chris Eluemuno, said yesterday in an interview with Anambra Broadcasting Service in Awka that he's not surprised at the way the appointments of President Buhari is going, saying it shows the president's deep rooted hatred for the Igbos..

“I said it during the campaigns that General Buhari does not like Igbo people and it is happening now with all the appointments he has so far made since he came into office on May 29. He appointed five service chiefs and there is no Igbo man, even though Igbo have qualified people to occupy the positions. His party has completed the selection of principal officers in the national assembly and despite the fact that the speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara made case to apply the federal character in allocating the offices, the president jettisoned it through his intervention and left Igbo APC lawmakers out.

“He also exhibited his vindictiveness during his recent visit to the United States of America, USA, when he travelled with only governors from his party, leaving out governors from the opposition parties.

“He was also quoted as saying that he would favour those who voted for him and our position is that there is no way the president should expect all Nigerians to vote for him in the last presidential election.That statement contradicted Buhari’s earlier stand that he belonged to everybody and belonged to nobody.”

Eluemuno also said that Buhari had no reason to discriminate against the Igbo because Igbonation played prominent roles in the development of Nigeria and should therefore not be discriminated against in the scheme of things.

According to him, apart from the Secretary to the Government of Federation, SGF, the remaining appointments are ministers and board members, which constitutionally must go to all the 36 states of the federation, adding that appointing an Igbo minister would not therefore be a favour to them.

On the president’s threat to probe only the Jonathan administration, Eluemuno said it would amount to witch hunt if he limited it to the immediate past administration, advising that the probe should start from the PDP civilian administration that began 16 years ago with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who governed for eight years.