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Alleged abuse of office: NACAT asks EFCC, ICPC, Wike to probe FCTA director
The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to conduct an investigation into Mr. Onsachi Musa Idris, the Executive Director of Procurement at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). NACAT alleges that he owns and operates private companies while being employed in violation of existing regulations.
In a statement released by NACAT’s Executive Director of Investigation, Oghenedoro Tega, in Abuja on Sunday, the organization accuses Idris of breaching public rules and misusing his position. NACAT asserts that their findings indicate that Idris failed to disclose his involvement in these companies to the Code of Conduct Bureau, as required by the law.
The statement from NACAT reveals, “NACAT’s investigation has uncovered that Onsachi Musa Idris, the Executive Director of Procurement at the Federal Capital Territory Administration, and some of his associates hold positions as directors in the companies ‘Hollywood Films, Television and Creative Arts Institute Limited – RC 1280962,’ registered on 14th August 2015, and ‘El-Meela Heritage International School Limited – RC – 1282658,’ registered on 24th August 2015. However, he did not declare these affiliations in his Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms with the Code of Conduct Bureau, as required by law.
“Paragraph 1(1) of Part 1 of the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended, obligates public office holders, whether elected, appointed, recruited, contracted, or by any other means, to submit their asset and liability declaration forms/returns to the Code of Conduct Bureau, covering themselves, their spouse, and children under 18 years old.
“The CCB Act also specifies that every public officer must adhere to the Law by declaring their assets/liabilities upon (a) taking office; (b) upon leaving office; (c) every four years for public officers in continuous government employment, be it Federal, State, or Local Government; and (d) at intervals determined by the Bureau.
“Moreover, Section 172 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) compels all public service individuals to conform to the Code of Conduct. The Fifth Schedule (Part 1) (Section 5) of the Constitution states that ‘A public officer shall not place himself in a situation where his personal interests conflict with his duties and responsibilities.’
“By failing to declare his company, we believe that Mr. Idris may have leveraged his influence to interfere with procurement procedures and processes, potentially favoring his company while depriving others of a fair bidding process.
“The group also threatens to pursue legal action if the responsible authorities do not investigate Mr. Idris for the alleged misconduct.
“As an NGO dedicated to combating corruption and with a track record of involvement in various anti-corruption efforts, we are deeply concerned that such an official is allowed to continue in his role without a proper investigation or appropriate sanctions.
“This is why we are calling on the relevant agencies to initiate an inquiry into the director.”
NACAT specifically calls on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to suspend Mr. Idris from his position immediately while the investigation takes place to prevent the concealment of information relevant to the case.
“We are puzzled by how a director can own a school and another company and instead of resigning from his federal government job to focus on his private ventures, he chooses to run them concurrently. Therefore, Idris should not be exempt from scrutiny for violating the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” NACAT asserts.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reported that a joint operation involving Nigerian military troops and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives resulted in the elimination of 52 terrorists and the apprehension of a leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Bauchi State.
The ISWAP leader was captured in a sting operation at Tarum, a village outside Bauchi Metropolis, as disclosed by Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, in a statement on Friday.
While the DHQ did not disclose the name of the arrested ISWAP leader, it revealed that the individual held a significant role in the North Central and North West zones.
The military high command emphasized that targeting terrorist leadership is crucial in ensuring the safety and security of citizens, with ongoing operations consistently diminishing the fighting force and capacity of these groups.
Maj.-Gen. Buba noted that Nigerian Air Force airstrikes played a key role in destroying terrorist leaders’ enclaves in the North West and North Central zones in the past week.
The week’s operations resulted in the neutralization of 52 terrorists, the arrest of 204 individuals associated with terrorism, and the rescue of 234 kidnapped hostages. Additionally, in the South-South zone, troops recovered stolen crude oil and illegal refined products, destroyed various equipment and sites used for illegal activities, and seized a substantial amount of weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and other items associated with criminal operations.
Solomon Arase, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, has expressed distress regarding the escalating violence against security personnel, particularly police officers, in the South East region.
The former Inspector General of Police highlighted the growing number of police officers’ wives becoming widows due to attacks by gunmen in the area. In a statement by Ikechukwu Ani, Head of Press and Public Relations, Arase conveyed his apprehension during a courtesy visit by leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, in Abuja.
Arase emphasized that it’s essential to communicate to the assailants that the police are not their adversaries and have committed no wrongdoing. He lamented the loss of numerous serving officers in the South East, urging the perpetrators to recognize the police as friends and cease making widows out of officers’ wives, who are essentially their sisters.
Furthermore, Arase assured that the Commission has addressed the perceived marginalization of the South East in police representation nationwide.
Elder Onwu Arua, the leader of the Ohanaeze delegation, expressed concern about the lack of interest among people in the South East regarding the ongoing police recruitment exercise. He urged the Police Service Commission to devise strategies to address this issue.
On Friday, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) alleged that Governor Peter Mba was facing pressure from “Aso Rock” to discredit the Supreme Court ahead of the judgment on its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, scheduled for December 15. IPOB based this claim on Mba’s characterization of the group as a proscribed organization, a statement he made after visiting President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
IPOB cautioned the governor against making a “costly mistake” by using the group’s name to gain favor from Tinubu’s administration. In a statement by Powerful, a spokesperson for IPOB, it was emphasized that Mba’s comments were deemed reckless and unguarded. The statement alleged that Mba, under pressure from the federal government, accused IPOB of being responsible for the sit-at-home protest and insecurity in the Southeast.
The statement pointed out that Mba had previously condemned Simon Ekpa, who was associated with the enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home. IPOB expressed skepticism about the governor’s motives and suggested that his statements were influenced by the Tinubu administration.
IPOB urged the public to dismiss the governor’s remarks, describing him as a “cowardly governor” making unfounded accusations. The statement reminded Mba that IPOB is not easily intimidated and warned against attempting to use the group’s name for political advantage.
The statement concluded by calling on the Nigerian Supreme Court Justices not to succumb to blackmail, urging the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who was acquitted by the Court of Appeal. IPOB reiterated its commitment to the cause of self-determination and emphasized that the movement would not yield to blackmail or pressure.
Troops kill 52 terrorists, arrest ISWAP leader in Bauchi – DHQ
‘Stop making police officers’ wives widows’ – Arase decries killing of cops in South East
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