He Independent Commission for Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes (CIPC) has launched an investigation into the activities of an ad hoc House committee involved in a bribery scandal.
CIPC spokesman Azuka Ogugua confirmed the start of the investigation in a statement on Friday.
According to Ogugua, the commission launched the investigation after two separate requests from Newslodge and the committee’s chairman, Yusuf Gagdi.
A Newslodge investigation had exposed how lawmakers demanded bribes from the heads of federal agencies, including higher education institutions, in exchange for compromising the ongoing investigation.
Our investigation revealed that the vice-chancellors paid 2 million naira each to a Providus Bank account number provided by the legislators through an intermediary. The rectors of the polytechnics and the rectors of the faculties of education paid three million each.
In recent days, the corrupt committee and some heads of universities, polytechnics and high schools have embarked on a frantic attempt to cover up the scandal.
Previously, vice chancellors, now in cahoots with lawmakers, lied to Nigerians about their involvement in the bribery scandal. However, this newspaper has concluded plans to publish more investigations to expose the extortion ring.
On August 29, Newslodge, through a letter from its editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, requested the anti-corruption agency to investigate the committees, vice-chancellors and their agents.
The letter, addressed to ICPC President Bolaji Owasanoye, called for a thorough investigation into the corruption scandal and also provided anti-corruption agencies with relevant information to assist in the investigation.
“As a characteristic of our organization, we embarked on this painstaking, weeks-long investigation to expose the scandal in the public interest. We note that this comes at a time of plummeting governments’ ability to adequately fund education and other social services that can positively affect the lives of large numbers of Nigerians,” the statement read.
Gagdi, after hours of denying the report and deliberately attempting to undermine the meat of the investigation, also wrote a petition to ICPC to investigate the account provided by Newslodge to establish whether there is a direct connection to committee members.
Their petition, dated August 30, was deliberately written to limit the investigation to account number and direct connection to members only.
The Newslodge investigation revealed extensive intermediary involvement by the corrupt committee, including the possible collection of bribes in cash and through other third-party bank accounts.
Here are the two petitions below.
Request for Newslodge
August 29, 2023.
Director,
Independent Commission for Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes (ICPC),
802 Constitution Avenue,
Central Business District,
FCT, Abuja.
Dear Sir,
SUBJECT: INVESTIGATION: NIGERIAN LEGISLATORS INVESTIGATING LABOR RACKET IS EXTORTING AGENCY
REQUEST FOR IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIONS AND POSSIBLE PROSECUTION
We are writing to bring to your attention our latest investigative story exposing how members of an ad hoc House committee created to investigate workplace blackmail at federal agencies are extorting the subjects of their investigation, including heads of various institutions. of higher education.
We call on you to urgently launch an investigation into this scandal with a view to prosecuting all culprits and ensuring that justice is done.
We also hope that your investigation will help put an immediate stop to what we believe to be an ongoing lobbying scheme by lawmakers and save the treasury from further hemorrhaging at this time of economic hardship in our country.
As is typical of our organization, we embarked on this painstaking, weeks-long investigation to expose the scandal in the public interest. We note that this comes at a time of plummeting governments’ ability to adequately fund education and other social services that can positively affect the lives of large numbers of Nigerians.
Our report, a hard copy of which is attached to this letter for easy reference, shows how the 39-member House committee created on July 5, 2023 has been intimidating agency heads into paying bribes to avoid being disgraced in public. and charged in a report to be issued after the ongoing hearings.
Almost all the heads of the country’s federal institutions have been summoned to appear.
Our report revealed that lawmakers held meetings with heads of federally owned universities, polytechnics, and schools of education to negotiate illicit payments to them in exchange for authorization in the committee’s final report. See the link to the story here.
The rectors were given the account number 5400495458, with address at Providus Bank, to make the payment and a deadline until Thursday, August 24 to make the payment.
From the tertiary institutions alone, we confirm that the panel has collected approximately 267 million naira in the corrupt scheme.
Our investigation was able to determine that the bank account in which the extortion proceeds are paid belongs to a certain Ama Business Solutions, a company that acts as a consultant to the committee. The company address is listed in corporate documents as Plot 2249, Zone 4 Plaza, Constantine Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Sir, the story contains other details that may help your investigations.
Quite apart from the fact that ICPC has a statutory mandate to tackle public corruption of this nature, we are confident in its ability and that of its agency to investigate and prosecute people guilty of crimes such as this that constitute a huge economic drain and damage sensitivity. public. in times like this in our country.
We assure you that we will give you all the support we can to help you with your investigations.
Thank you sir, in anticipation of your prompt action.
Sincerely,
Musikilu Mojeed,
Chief editor
Gagdi’s requests Yusuf Gagdi
Director,
Independent Commission for Corrupt Practices and other related crimes (CIPC).
Plot 802, Constitution Avenue Area, Central District PMB 535 Garki Abuja
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION OF ACCOUNT RELATED TO ALLEGATION OF CORRUPTION.
Cyberspace was recently inundated with a story published by the online outlet Premium Times, alleging extortion by the House of Representatives committee investigating labor racketeering in federal establishments.
The story provided an account number where extortion proceeds were allegedly or will be funneled to federal agencies.
As chair of the ad-hoc committee, I am compelled to contact your good office to initiate an investigation to establish any connection between the operators of said account with any member of the committee for possible prosecution as raised by Premium Times.
ALSO READ: Racketeering scandal: Vice chancellors appear before corrupt House committee, lie under oath
The reputation of the honorable members of the House of Representatives who serve on this committee is currently at stake due to the accusations spread by the online media. It becomes imperative to thoroughly investigate the account and relationship with any committee member with a view to moving the matter forward please.
The account details provided by the news outlet are:
Account name: AMA Business Solutions.
Account number: 5400495458
Waiting for your urgent action, I assure you that I will send you my warmest regards.
Signed:
Rt Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, OON.
President
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