President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, ordered the suspension the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Mr Okoi Obono-Obla.
The presidency said the “suspension shall be in effect until the conclusion of ongoing Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigations into a number of cases relating to Mr. Obono-Obla.”
The suspension is coming after an extensive investigation conducted into Obono-Obla’s academic credentials by the anti-graft agency.
He is facing allegations of certificate forgery and other corruption-related charges.
On Friday, his office located in Asokoro, was sealed by some armed police officers.
Obono-Obla, however, in a statement said it was difficult to know why his office was sealed because of the Eid-el-Kabir holidays.
He alleged that some ‘highly placed Nigerians’ wishing to protect some persons under investigation were arm-twisting the panel officials, thereby distracting the panel from carrying out its lawful mandate.
According to him, the panel has examples of many high-profile cases where misappropriated public funds were traced to the personal bank accounts of public servants and rather than explain the source of the funds, they resort to false petitions and unfairly attacking the officials of the panel.
“Some corrupt people in government are fighting me,” he disclosed on Sunday.
“You know they have sacked me several times without a sack letter. So, I believe that if there is anything like that, the President will inform me.
I have not heard anything from him. I am not in Abuja. I travelled for the holiday and I was told of the action. I know it is the action of mischievous people. I will not comment further until I return to Abuja.” – Guardian.
