A Civil Society Group, Concerned Citizens, has raises questions to the alleged refusal of Professor Ali Isa Pantami to acts in a case of alleged corrupt practices as Minister, thereby allegedly shielding the NCC indicted officials from prosecution.

NCC in 2021, had confirmed that its officials allegedly cornered public funds but refused to ensure they are disciplined as prescribed by anti-corruption laws.

The Civil Society Group through it’s Convener, Ibrahim Illyas Kaltungo, reminded that based on 2021 media reports one of the leading Newspapers online, Premium Times on 27 April 2021, it’s says, Two weeks after his office was contacted by a group to take action against two officials of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) enmeshed in a N122 million alleged fraud, Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami, has failed to act.

They said, this is even as NCC admitted its officials allegedly stole public funds, it has equally refused to ensure they are properly sanctioned as prescribed by anti-corruption laws and the Minister than turned deaf ears from the matter.

The CSO reminded that, in an exclusive report in March, by Premium Times, it exposed how two senior staff, Yakubu Gontor, head of the finance department, and Philip Eretan, former head of the internal audit department of NCC, got the funds as allowances for trips they never embarked on.

“Mr Gontor allegedly got N54 million as accruable allowances for official trips he never made while Mr Eretan fraudulently raked in about N68 million.”

The Civil Society Group notes that the Officials, were indicted by an investigative committee which was set up by the commission’s governing board in 2020. Premium Times understands that the money stolen is being deducted in instalments from their emoluments. But the two men are yet to have their day in court.

“The committee had recommended that the two officials should be made to face a disciplinary panel with appropriate sanctions meted out to them.”

They added that Premium Times, findings revealed that the Umar Danbatta-led management of the NCC, which in 2020 won the Ethics Compliance and Integrity Scorecards (ECIS) award of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has not disciplined the indicted officials as recommended by the committee, or called for their prosecution.

The Civil Society Group also notes that, Premium Times understands that between January and February 2020, Messrs Guntor and Eretan frequented the Kaduna zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following a petition by a yet-to-be-identified group.

Although they notes that the new leadership of the EFCC in the zone, however, told our correspondent it could not trace the details of the matter. In February, the new head of the zone, Sanusi Abdullahi, said he was only transferred to the zone in July 2020, and that he could not trace the files of the matter.”

“The NCC in its response to PREMIUM TIMES’ exposè had admitted its officials allegedly stole public funds. The agency has apparently continued to shield them from prosecution.”

Mr Kaltungo reminded that at that time, an anti-corruption group, Lygel Youths and Leadership Initiatives (LYLI), wrote a letter to Mr Pantami seeking his intervention over the matter.

“In the letter dated April 14 and signed by its director of legal and compliance unit, Lekan Oladapo, the group noted that it had complained to the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in a letter dated 29th December, 2020, of which the minister was copied.

“In the said letter we had raised observations on the case of fraud in the Commission that involved the two heads of units of Finance and Audit.

“We have persistently advised the management of NCC to address that by implementing the recommendation of the Investigating Committee to impose necessary sanction and prosecute the culprits.

“Be that as it may, all the advice went to the deaf ears of the management to the extent that it was insensitive to the subsequent publications of the Premium Times published on March 29th 2021 and APRIL 1, 2021 respectively.

“We are surprised that the NCC can be as desperate as a reputable organisation allegedly condoning corruption of its officers without plausible justification.”

The group stated that it is “amazingly disturbing” for the NCC to continue to shield the officials from disciplinary action.

The CSO hints that at that time Pantami response was shaking that he said, ‘Leave me out of NCC matter’- Pantami
Despite acknowledging the receipt of the letter on April 15, Mr Pantami is yet to take any decisive action, sources told PREMIUM TIMES.

When Premium Times then contacted the minister’s spokesperson, Uwa Suleiman, on the subject matter, she pleaded that her principal should be left out of the matter at that time.

“This is a crisis within NCC. They are in a better position to answer your questions and offer any clarification you may need.”

After informing her that NCC had confirmed the fraud but was apparently shielding the officials, she responded saying “this is under his (NCC spokesperson) purview. I will tell him to offer more clarification.”

Ms Suleiman later asked Premium Times reporter to send her the copy of the letter sent to the minister and this was done immediately.

Having read the letter, she has since failed to acknowledge the copy sent to her on WhatsApp. She has also not responded to issues raised in the said letter. She has also not responded to reminder on the subject matter.

The CSO, further reminded that, Premium Times Reports that Mr Pantami current public silence may not be unrelated to recent controversies over his past.

“He has been in the news lately over sermons he delivered over a decade ago that supported extremist groups such as Taliban and Al-Qaeda.”

“While the minister said he has renounced these teachings, blaming his immaturity at the time the statements were made, many Nigerians have demanded his resignation from office.”

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen an Osun State Government account domiciled with First Bank, ten days to governorship election, according to documents seen by Vanguard.

The account, reportedly used for the payment of workers’ salaries, was placed on “Post No Debit” status by the anti-graft agency.

The development came hours after Governor Ademola Adeleke alleged that the EFCC was planning to freeze the state’s accounts and those of top government officials.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor described the reported move as an attempt to cripple government activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Adeleke maintained that there was no legal basis for freezing the accounts of the state government, arguing that the EFCC lacked the statutory powers to take such action.

A source close to the governor, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed to Vanguard that the account had already been frozen.

“I can confirm that the state government account has been frozen by the EFCC. It is no longer an allegation. The governor will address the press shortly to update the public on the situation,” the source said.

As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not issued an official statement on the development. The reason for the account restriction was also not immediately known.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared that Osun residents will resist any attempts to rig the August 15 governorship election, invoking the potential repeat of the political violence that erupted in the Old Western Region and culminated in a military putsch.

Mr Adeleke, who made the remarks on Monday while addressing his supporters at Orita-Sabo in Olorunda council area, said residents would actively participate in the election and do everything possible to protect their votes.

Citing his personal support and the Accord Party’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027, Mr Adeleke stated, “President Tinubu, I’m passing this message to you. What do you want Osun to do? We have endorsed you. What happened? They are killing us. They are killing Yoruba people. The police have been compromised. The kidnappers are there, (but) the police are not doing anything about it.

“President Tinubu, I am using this medium to tell you, so you would not say I did not make an outcry. I am the chief security officer of Osun state. President Tinubu, I am passing this message to you, Osun will not accept any rigging. We will go out en masse and vote and defend our votes. I am repeating it. Don’t let what happened in 1983 repeat itself.”

In 1983, a political crisis in the old Ondo state snowballed into deadly riots and arson in Akure, Ibadan, and Ondo, with government buildings, Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) offices, and properties belonging to National Party of Nigeria (NPN) politicians set alight because Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) Governor Adekunle Ajasin was controversially declared defeated by Akin Omoboriowo of the NPN. Amid the conflagration, the military gang of Muhammadu Buhari toppled the civilian government of President Shehu Shagari.

Mr Adeleke alleged that former governor Adegboyega Oyetola was responsible for obstructing the disbursement of funds meant for Osun.

Mr Adeleke stated, “President Tinubu, Osun people and Accord Party have endorsed you as our presidential candidate. Why are we suffering? Why is our money being kept? Oyetola needs to be called to order. We all gave birth to children. Over the innocent blood of other people’s children being killed, God will take revenge.

“What happened? President Tinubu: he (Mr Oyetola) is fighting with everyone. He is the one who is making you fight with everyone. Oyetola needs to be called to order.”

The governor’s appeal for a credible and violence-free election comes 11 days before the off-cycle governorship election. Fourteen political parties are expected to participate in the contest.