MASTER REPORTERS GLOBAL NEWS
Bringing to you Breaking news from around the globe.
Home/ News/ Nigeria/Lai Mohammed In Trouble, As Billions Of Naira Disappear From His Office
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has started investigations into the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) which is supervised by Lai Mohammed, the Information Minister, over the misapplication of the N2.5 billion seed grant released to the Corporation by the Federal Government, for its digital switch-over programme.
The ICPC, in a statement signed by Rasheedat Okoduwa, its Spokesperson, revealed that it has so far quizzed the NBC Director-General, Ishaq Kawu, and other top management staff of the Corporation, over their alleged involvements in the misapplication of the fund.
The Presidency had in 2016, released N10 billion to the Ministry of Information and Culture, under Lai Mohammed, for the digital switch-over programme, which entails migration of telephone lines from analogue to digital platforms, and a White Paper was issued directing that the process be specifically handled by government-affiliated companies.
Based on the guidelines provided by the White Paper, two companies were nominated to handle the process, one of which is an affiliate of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA. About N1.7 billion was released to it as seed grant for the commencement of the switch-over.
However, the ICPC disclosed that through investigation, it discovered that the process was fraught with alleged corrupt practices.
“It was alleged that Mr. Kawu fraudulentlyrecommended a private company, called Pinnacle Communications Limited, to the Minister of Information and Culture, for the release of N2.5 billion, against the guidelines contained in the White Paper.
“The N2.5 billion was paid into the Zenith Bank account of Pinnacle Communications Limited, in May/June, 2017, for the programme.
“The DG NBC during interactions with the Commission, could not justify why the government White Paper was flouted, leading to the release of money to an unqualified company”, the statement said.
It added that the Managing Director of Pinnacle, Dipo Onifade, during interrogation, confirmed the release of the funds to the company. He could not justify that the money was used for the purpose of the digital switch-over.
The Commission also said through investigation, that it discovered several suspicious transfers of large sums of funds from the account of the company, into the bank accounts of several organisations and individuals.
It found out that N100 million of the funds was paid into the personal bank account of Mr. Onifade, in Zenith Bank, which he claimed was for legal services that he had rendered to the same Pinnacle Communications, where he is employed.
Also, investigation revealed that another N450 million was transferred into the account of Sabdat Investment Limited, a Bureau de Change, which then converted the money into dollars, and handed it over to the Chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Lucky Omoluwa, in his Kaduna residence, as he usually did with other funds.
Omoluwa had repeatedly failed to honour invitations, the Commission said.
“He had also sought the leave of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop the investigation, as well as unfreeze the Zenith Bank account of the company that was frozen by the ICPC, but was however, ordered by the same court to appear before the ICPC for interrogation, before the next adjourned date of 3rd December, 2018, before his case would be heard.
“In compliance with the Court Order, Mr. Omoluwa has appeared before the Commission, where he made useful statements to the Investigators”, the ICPC added.
Share this
Drop your comment below
Copyright © 2018 Master Reporters All Rights Reserved.
0 comments: