CCB In Billion Naira Scandal, Ex-Board Members, Directors Under Probe
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….Forms Racketeering Gang Smashed
There are indications that the Code of Conduct Bureau is facing probe on three fronts namely its abandoned national headquarters project,its botched computerization project and alleged removal/ substitution of assets declaration forms of prominent Nigerians.
Former board members and some directors of the Bureau are under probe on their roles in the multiple scams.
Snippets from anti- corruption agencies in Abuja indicated that the CCB is undergoing multiple probe due to the spotlight generated by infighting over the recall of her Acting Secretary ,Mrs Folasade Kolawole.
The Federal Government had reportedly recalled the Acting Secretary who had submitted her resignation letter two months earlier citing pressure to violate the process and breach anti-corruption laws.
The recall which complied with public service rule was however resisted by some directors of the Bureau supported by the former Board of the Bureau which was forced out of office by court of law for overstaying their tenure in office.
The resistance to her recall and protest petitions written by some of the staff allegedly prompted spotlight from security and anti-corruption agencies into the affairs of the CCB,a constitutional body.
The digging into the affairs of the Bureau is reported to have opened up can of worms and monumental fraud with respect to contract awards among others.
An anti -corruption officer who was involved in the probe said checks on major contracts in the Bureau showed widespread fraud and abandoned projects after full payment.
“We were curious as to why the recall generated so much heat. We find out that the real reason was that the recalled officer knew so much about the rot and her problem stems from her insistence on complying with due prices and obeying procurement laws.
” We discovered that a total sum of One Billion,eight hundred million naira has been spent on the headqurters of the Bureau located by the side of the Labour House . We checked the site .There is no single building standing.
“We want to know what happened to the N1.8billion already paid out on the headquarters building.
“Secondly ,another Two Billion ,Four Hundred Million naira naira was spent in computerisation of the activities of the Bureau.Up till now ,the project is uncompleted and the Bureau is still doing manual operations.We want to know what happened to the N2.4billion.
“And lastly which is even more serious is the form racketeering ongoing within the Bureau .We have reports of assets declaration forms being removed and replaced to shield corrupt public officials .We have three cases affecting three prominent Nigerians.
“We want to smash the gang behind the scam.We have information of link and relationship between the scam and expensive lifestyle of most top officials of the bureau”,the officials who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the issue said.
Further hints gathered on the issue indicated that former board members and some directors of the Bureau are under surveilance over the ongoing probe.
