There are strong indications that the Independent
Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission
has put the permanent secretaries in the federal
ministries on its watch list in line with the ongoing
anti-corruption war in the country.
This came on the heels of the clampdown on wealthy
civil servants by the ICPC, which had already seized
24 properties and several cars from three officials of
the Ministry of Niger Delta.
The affected officials are Poloma Kabiru Nuhu,
Mangset Longyl Dickson and Daniel Obah.
The ICPC Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, had in a document
described the seized properties as “excessive of the
emoluments of the affected officers.”
The PUNCH had exclusively reported on July 30 that
the Federal Government’s anti-corruption war was
targeting “super rich” public officers who had
multiple properties and other assets suspected to
have been the rewards of graft.
An official of the ICPC, who spoke with Saturday
PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said there was no
way the agency would probe “super rich” civil
servants without extending its searchlight on the
permanent secretaries heading the ministries where
corrupt activities were perpetrated.
The source said, “The permanent secretaries in
federal ministries are on ICPC watch list. We will
investigate them to ascertain whether or not they
possess questionable property built with stolen
public fund.
“If we are already investigating super wealthy civil
servants, then the permanent secretaries cannot be
left out.”
Some of the permanent secretaries suspected to
have been put on the ICPC watch list include Mr.
Sonny S. T. Echono, Federal Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development; Mrs. Fatimah Nana Mede,
Ministry of Environment; Hajia Binta Bello, Ministry
of Aviation; Mrs. Rabi Shuaibu Jimeta, Ministry of
Youth Development; Mr. Dauda Shuaibu Kigbu,
Ministry of Works; Mrs. Anastasia Mabi Daniel –
Nwobia, Ministry of Finance; Ambassador Bulus Lolo,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan,
Ministry of Information; Abdullahi Ahmed Yola,
Ministry of Justice; Dr. James Obiegbu, Ministry of
Police Affairs; and Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, Ministry of
Women Affairs and Social Development.
Others are Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Ministry of
Communication Technology; Dr. Godknows Igali,
Ministry of Power; Nkechi Ejele, Ministry of Culture
and Tourism and National Orientation; Linus Awute,
Ministry of Health; John Chukwu, Ministry of the
Federal Capital Territory; Mr. Musa Istifanus, Ministry
of Water Resources; Mr. Taiye Haruna, Ministry of
Petroleum Resources; and Mr. Mohammed Bashir,
Ministry of Transport.
Also, permanent secretaries in the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development; Ministry of
Labour and Productivity; Ministry of Industry, Trade
& Investment; Ministry of Defence; Ministry of
Education; Ministry of Mines and Steel Development;
Ministry of Sports; Ministry of National Planning; and
Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs are said to be on the
watch list.
When contacted, the ICPC Resident Consultant, Mr.
Folu Olamiti, in a rather tacit manner, said, “If ICPC is
probing civil servants, are permanent secretaries not
also civil servants?”
A lecturer in the Department of Local Government
Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof.
Francis Fagbohun, said, “There is no way we can get
to the root of corruption without starting from
somewhere and that is what I think the Federal
Government is doing. The government is just starting
from somewhere. There is no way a civil servant will
perpetrate any evil without his political boss knowing.
The permanent secretaries in most cases are
political. Most of them have turned themselves to
political appointees. They no longer uphold that
career trend. I think it will get to them; let us just
keep our fingers crossed.
“This will also get to the ministers very soon. I believe
in the gradual process of things. My advice is that the
ICPC should not be cowed by any ‘super’ political
appointee. If the juniors are guilty, the seniors must
also be because the whole process would have
passed through them. I want to believe it will get to
them soon.”
