By EZEKIEL OBI, Abuja –
The Coalition of Civil Society Organization against Corruption and Social Vices (CCSOACS) has called on anti-graft agencies to probe the members of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee allegedly involved in extorting money from ministries, departments and agencies under the guise of investigating job racketeering.
The anti-corruption group specifically demanded that the Attorney General of The Federation, IG of Police, the Chairman of EFCC and ICPC to investigate the alleged shameful act by Hon. Wole Oke and other lawmakers.
They made the call in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Obiora Bartholomew.
He said: “The date August 29, 2023 was a sad day in the annals of our Nigerian democracy. Premium Times had a screaming headline “Nigerian lawmakers probing job racketeering are extorting money from agencies”. After the news was reported, the Nigerians were again thrown into anger, an anger borne out of the fact that the organ of government which should ordinarily check the excesses of Government agencies was now the one championing corruption.
“The Civil Society Groups in Nigeria have risen up to fight against this wickedness in government. We have decided therefore;
“That the accusations leveled against Hon. Wole Oke by Premium Times are too grievous to be swept under the carpet
“That Premium Times claimed that on Tuesday, August 15, some committee members met with heads of the nation’s federally-owned universities – 51 vice-chancellors – and afterwards secretly negotiated two million naira bribe from each of them to save themselves from public humiliation and eventual indictment.
“That Premium Times claimed that the vice-chancellors were then given Account Number 5400495458, domiciled in Providus Bank, to pay into. The lawmakers even instructed the vice-chancellors to “clearly indicate the name of the institution in the payment invoice”.
“That Premium Times claimed that the committee members also held separate meetings with rectors of the 35 federally-owned polytechnics and provosts of the 27 federally-owned colleges of education. Three million naira bribe was then demanded from each of them.
“The committee members also held separate meetings with rectors of the 35 federally-owned polytechnics and provosts of the 27 federally-owned colleges of education. Three million naira bribe was then demanded from each of them.
“That PREMIUM TIMES claimed their investigation had revealed how the House Committee, set up to probe alleged corruption in the personnel recruitment process of federal agencies, launched an extortion ring to collect bribes and shake down unwilling officials, amongst other numerous allegations.
In his reactions to Premium Times findings, Comrade Bartholomew said: “Ordinarily there would not have been any need to call for an investigation by anti-graft agencies because the House Committee on Ethics and Privilege should be saddled with the responsibility of investigating the members of the committee but that there is a big trust deficit in the legislature as an institution.
“The National Assembly has built a notoriety and bad image for itself. Ordinarily, a House Committee is supposed to operate like a court of law. In other jurisdictions, House Committees are very powerful.
Nigerians have long been suspecting about lawmakers using investigative hearings to negotiate “share of the national cake.
“We therefore demand the investigation and prosecution of Hon. Wole Oke and other lawmakers involved in the bribery scandal.
He called on anti-corruption agencies to use the information provided by Premium Times report to trace the flow of the money in the account.
“We also demand that the U.S, Britain, E.U and other countries immediately place a visa ban on him. We also urge the U.K to immediately repatriate Hon. Oke from the U.K where he is currently cooling off.
“We will stage a non stop advocacy march to the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, EFCC, ICPC, U.S and UK Embassy”, he said.
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