N1.2billion Unspent Funds: ICPC to arraign former NSCDC boss, others

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, said it would soon arraign three officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, over N1.2 billion unspent funds.

A resident consultant with the ICPC, Folu Olamiti, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

The three officials will be arraigned before Justice Husseini Baba, of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday.

According to Mr. Olamiti, the NSCDC officials to be arraigned include a former Assistant Commandant General, Mohammed Umar and Amobi Chidozie and Ojuolape Oyemomi, whose ranks were not specified.

He said the action followed an alleged conspiracy to offer gratification to some public officers in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF.

Mr. Olamiti explained that the alleged bribes were offered in December 2004 to the AGF staff to induce them to extend the time of remittance of the N1.2 billion unspent funds belonging to NSCDC.

He, however, attributed the delay in the case to the death of one of the suspects whose name was struck off the charge sheet and the health challenge of Mr. Umar.

“The accused were alleged to have conspired and also used their public offices to offer gratification to some public officers of the office of the AGF in the sum of N1.5million as inducement,” said Mr. Olamiti.

“The trio will also be facing trial for the transfer of the sum of N8.2 million meant for overhead vote to personnel vote – an offence contrary and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: A wrong photograph was initially used to illustrate this report. It has now been changed. We apologise to Air Marshall Mohammed Umar, whose picture was erroneously used.