In the last four years, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has seized 97 pieces of property from various individuals.
Dr Jimoh Olatunde, a former accountant with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, forfeited 33 buildings, plots of land, and a factory to the Federal Government.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, the anti-graft agency provided these to Sunday PUNCH.
Olatunde is a prosecution witness in a case of official corruption and abuse of office filed against Prof Dibu Ojerinde, a former National Examination Council head and later JAMB registrar.
The ex-JAMB accountant was thought to have acted as Ojerinde’s proxy.
In an 18-count indictment, the ICPC accused Ojerinde of diverting public funds worth approximately N5.2 billion while he was the head of NECO and JAMB.
Olatunde, who was also NECO’s Deputy Director and Head of Treasury, revealed how Ojerinde allegedly diverted N341.9 million from the examination body to establish a personal printing press, school, and buildings.
The witness, who testified before the Niger State High Court in Minna, told the trial judge, Justice Abdullahi Mikailu, that N216,297,443 was fraudulently withdrawn from the NECO account to pay for 17 fictitious printing contracts used to establish the printing press.
In addition, the anti-graft commission has frozen 1,233 bank accounts between 2019 and now.
However, 60 accounts belonging to 15 people who were investigated for corruption were eventually forfeited to the Federal Government.
The accounts totaled N547.7m and $669,248.89.
Abdulazeez Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, was fined $669,248.89 and N24,289,910.89 by the Federal Government.
The funds were deposited in Yari’s two personal accounts as well as the accounts of his companies, BT Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited and Kayatawa Nigeria Limited.
N217,388,040 and $311,872 were discovered in a bank account belonging to BT Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, and another N11,159,674.80 and $301,319.99 were discovered in a bank account belonging to Kayatawa Nigeria Limited.
In addition, the ICPC has placed 29 duplexes in various estates in Jabi, Maitama, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Abuja allegedly belonging to the ex-governor, who is currently on trial for corruption.
The ICPC accused Yari, a two-term governor, of lying on his assets declaration.
It accused him of diverting funds from Zamfara State by using companies such as Kayatawa Nigeria Limited and B T Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.
It claimed that on June 18, 2015, BT Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited received a N150 million transfer from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum via Yari, who was the forum’s chairman at the time.
Following that, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the ICPC’s motion for permanent forfeiture of the funds.
It was unclear whether Yari had appealed the forfeiture order because his lawyer, Mahmoud Magaji, was unavailable for comment on Saturday. He did not return phone calls and had yet to respond to an SMS sent to his mobile phone.
The ICPC stated that it sought the orders because “the victim of the alleged crime is the Zamfara State Government and, by extension, the Federal Government of Nigeria and innocent taxpayers, including judges of courts throughout Nigeria.”
Other individuals whose property was forfeited include Daniel Obah, a Ministry of Niger Delta employee who had plots of land in various parts of Abuja and Rivers State; Edike Akpan, a Nigeria Security and Civil Service officer; Joseph Udoh, a retired Federal High Court official; and Adedeji Taofi, who forfeited a school.
Lukumanu Waziri, a businessman, also surrendered an unregistered Pontiac car, a Peugeot 406, a Range Rover Evoque, and an unregistered Lexus, as well as a bungalow, land, shoes, and other personal items to the government.
Adenike Bintu lost two plots of land on Airport Road in Abuja, while Okroghene Akpore lost land parcels and a duplex.
Kabiru Poloma also lost several plots of land in Gombe State, as well as a multipurpose complex and two hotels, Donkay Hotel and Suites and Snamai Suites.
On the list is Adam Yusuf, who surrendered residential properties in Idu, Abuja, and Babangida Aliyu, who surrendered a Mercedes Benz car to the government.
The commission stated in an accompanying letter to the FOI request dated September 27, 2022 and signed by the Director, Legal Services, Henry Emore, “Funds in the 60 accounts operated by different banks have finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the funds transferred to the ICPC Recovery Account domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria for onward transmission to the Consolidated Revenue Fund since the victim in these cases is the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, commented on the development, saying that the seizures demonstrated that corruption was still alive and well in Nigeria.
“This demonstrates that, contrary to what politicians claim, there is still corruption in Nigeria.” They always dismiss the fact that corruption exists in Nigeria. “The ICPC has only revealed the details of what is going on in the country,” Rafsanjani stated.
He did, however, commend anti-corruption agencies for their ongoing efforts, saying, “The ICPC is doing a great job in fighting corruption without political antics, and we must commend what they are doing.” They are one of the agencies that is working quietly, and we encourage other security agencies to follow suit. They work hard, and we see the results.” However, Nanfwang Ayuba, a legal practitioner, believes that fighting corruption must be supported by ordinary Nigerians, noting that no one should be seen to be above the law.
“If we can show that nobody is above the law and everyone is equal before the law,” Ayuba said, “then we can say we are winning the war against corruption.” However, if it is perceived that the fight is selective or cosmetic, we will not win the war. Corruption must be combated holistically.
“Justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done.” Until we get there, I’ll say that the ICPC and other anti-corruption organizations are just trying to fight corruption.”
Sani Rabiu, another legal practitioner, said the anti-corruption agencies were carrying out selective justice, which should be improved.
“We need a lot of improvement in the fight against corruption,” he said, adding that “it appears that the agencies that are charged with such responsibilities are not carrying out their jobs as expected.”
“Normally, if there is an allegation of corruption leveled against any Nigerian, regardless of political party or location, the allegation should be investigated fairly and justly.”
“However, it appears that this is not the case. They are still practicing selective justice. We cannot give them a zero, but they do need to reorganize their business model.”
