Corruption: ICPC Declares Ex-Presidential Aide Obono-Obla Wanted

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC has declared the former Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla wanted.

Obono-Obla was declared wanted due to his repeated failure to appear the anti-graft agency to answer questions bordering on allegations of fraud and corruption

He is facing series of allegations leveled against him by members of the public on his role as head of the government panel on asset recovery.

The ICPC said it is in receipt of petitions accusing Obono-Obla of abuse of office, falsification of admission records, living above his income and collection of gratification from suspects under his investigation.

According to a statement by the commission, the suspended chairman is also facing allegations of working outside the guidelines governing the panel by investigating unauthorized petitions and prosecuting suspects without recourse to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The statement read in part: “ICPC had conducted series of investigations on the allegations with preliminary findings showing that some provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and extant laws of Nigeria had been allegedly violated by Obono-Obla.

“Consequently, ICPC had extended several invitations to him, which he had failed to honour without giving any reason. Attempts to track and make him appear before the Commission also failed leading ICPC to contact other law enforcement agencies for assistance concerning his whereabouts.

“One of such contact has yielded results as records from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) show that Mr. Obono-Obla had travelled out of the country.

“The NIS records revealed that he left the country to an undisclosed location on 17th August, 2019, through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, and has not returned two months after,” the statement concluded.

Recall that the probe of some high-profile persons by the panel, including the general manager of Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Goddy Nnadi reportedly led to its intense scrutiny.

Also, the Inspector-General of the Police (IGP) had ordered the withdrawal of police security attached to the panel over a petition by a senior staff member of PEF, Aisha Usman under probe.

Obono-Obla had also some public servants, whose accounts have been discovered to contain money unlawfully acquired, had resorted to false petitions and attacks on officials of the panel.