ICPC arraigns NSCDC officials over N1.2b unspent funds

TODAY, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will arraign a former Assistant Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nasir Mohammed Umar, before an Abuja High Court over the agency’s N1.2 billion unspent funds.

The other two suspects were Assistant Director of Finance and Accounts, Amobi Uzodinma Chidozie, and Chief Accountant, Ojuolape Oyemomi.

The ICPC Head of Media, Mr. Folu Olamiti, disclosed that the three officers allegedly conspired to use their public offices to confer on themselves corrupt advantage by offering gratification to some public officers in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation as an inducement for extension of time in December 2004 in remitting the N1.2 billion unspent funds belonging to NSCDC.

Olamiti noted that their arraignment was delayed due to the death of one of the accused, whose name was struck out from the charge, as well as for Umar’s ailment.

According to him, “in a six-count charge by the anti-graft agency against the trio, they were alleged to have conspired and also used their public offices to offer gratification to some public officers of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in the sum of N1.5 million as an inducement.”

He added that the accused persons would also be facing trial for the transfer of the sum of N8.2 million meant for overhead to personnel vote, an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

One of the charges read in part: “That you, Nasir Mohammed Umar (m), Amobi Uzodinma Chidozie (m) and Ojuolape Oyemomi (f), on or about the month of December 2004 at Abuja, the FCT, while being public officers as Assistant Commandant General (Admin), Assistant Director of Finance and Accounts, and Chief Accountant respectively, of Nigeria Security and

Civil Defence Corps, did conspire among yourselves to offer gratification in the sum of N1.5 million only to some public officers in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation as an inducement for the purpose of procuring the extension of time to remit to the sub-treasurer of the federation for the year ended 2004 the sum of N1, 218, 69, 779.84 billion only unspent funds of the NSCDC, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26 (1)(c) and punishable under section 18 (d) of the corrupt practices and other related offences Act 2000.”