ICPC expresses worry rising illicit financial inflows abroad

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has expressed concerns over rising cases of illicit financial inflows abroad.

Chairman of the Commission, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, speaking on Monday in Abuja lamented what he called “illicit financial flows abroad.”

He, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for his determination and political will to tackle corruption headlong just as he solicited for citizen co-operation to tame the monster of graft.

He spoke at the opening session of the public presentation of New Expert Analysis of OPL 245 Deal and High-Level Training of Stakeholders of the Special Anti Corruption Situation Room, organised by the Human Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, in Abuja.

The ICPC boss also said he was disturbed by the rise in the number of housing estates in the Federal Capital Territory with questionable ownership.

Owasanoye who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Esa Onoja, noted that if only a fraction of what has been stolen was invested in social services; Nigeria would join the legion of advanced democracies famous for good governance.

He said: “We at the ICPC are concerned with the illicit financial flows abroad but those who stay in the FCT here will see estate springing up every day.

“And sometimes, when non-convictions assets forfeiture proceedings are initiated against those estates, nobody comes forth to claim ownership which means that we have a big problem. We feel that citizens should provide information and after providing information, should act as witnesses.

“When funds meant for health, education, security, housing etc are diverted and end up in private hands, we all feel the impacts. Corruption is not a victimless crime; we are all victims of corruption.

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“The current administration has a very strong and viable whistleblowing policy. Over N.5tn has been recovered through this policy. But a lot more information is required.

“If we can get just 25 per cent of what has been stolen and if that money is deployed to education, health, security, I think we would be on the road to joining other nations of the world whose citizens like to fly to and use their resources,” he said.

Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman, HEDA Centre, cited constitutional infractions in the award of the controversial OPL 245 licences to Malabu, involving Nigeria’s former Petroleum Minister, Chief Dan Etete.

He said: “What we have done before now is to have taken a legal action compelling the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, to actually revoke the OPL 245 licenses issues to Malabu on the strength that it was issued by Dan Etete while serving as a Minister of Petroleum Resources which is actually against the constitution.

“As at the time, the code of conduct prohibits an office holder from superintending over a process that he will benefit from. What the law says in that situation is that such benefit should actually be recovered by the government. So the failure of the Office of the AGF to actually revoke the license was wrong and we have gone to court to get court mandamus to compel him to do that.

“We have gone beyond the legal aspect of the Dan Etete/Malabu case to the economic implication of that allocation to Nigeria.

“What we have seen is the fact that $1.1bn that was paid as a bribe to officials of Nigeria/ENI was what was supposed to have come to Nigeria as part of the profit that was calculated and paid in advance to oil companies, individuals and public office holders. So the money that was meant to provide for health and education was actually paid to private individuals to buy jets and luxury apartments outside the country.”