ICPC serves final summon on Ehindero , Set for his arrest

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has served final summon on former inspector general of police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to appear for interrogation on the alleged N557 million scam that rocked the police under his leadership.


Ehindero had shunned the commission’s invitation to appear before it last week prompting the fresh and final one served on him last Thursday, October 9, 2008. The commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Folu Olamiti confirmed the serving of the final summon on Ehindero.


He has been scheduled to appear either tomorrow or Tuesday. The fresh summon was said to have been served through his chambers located at NICON Plaza in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The commission, according to a source, was not happy that Ehindero shunned last week’s invitation and the leadership of the anti-graft agency decided to give him the last chance to
appear by himself.


Sunday Tribune further gathered that if Ehindero failed to countenance the final invitation, a bench warrant would be issued for his arrest. Ehindero had faced interrogation once at the commission’s headquarters, with a source revealing that at a stage during the questioning session, he allegedly rained curses on his interrogators, reportedly saying that God would destroy them if they planned to destroy him through the probe.


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So much for lawyer

Nigeria: Ehindero in Fresh Trouble - May Be Declared Wanted By ICPC

Seven months after the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) commenced investigations into controversial lodgment of N558 million police funds in a personal fixed deposit account, the anti-graft agency is asking former Inspector General Of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to explain the whereabouts of some N16 million.

The fund in question was donated to the Nigeria Police by the Bayelsa state government in 2006 when Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was governor of the oil-rich state.


According to a source, the sum of N300 million was lodged in a fixed deposit account with WEMA Bank on July 4, 2006, while another N200 million was lodged with Intercontinental Bank on July 10, 2006. Records show that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had directed the police boss, in a letter dated July 12, 2006, to transfer the funds into the accounts of the Police Affairs Ministry. But this was not to be until November 2006, four months after the directive was given by Obasanjo

A source at ICPC told Sunday Trust that attempts by investigators to get the former IG to appear before the commission defend himself on some of the allegations had proved impossible, as the address given by Ehindero when he was granted bail earlier has proved to be non-existent.

The source told our reporter that when letters were sent to the address inviting the former IG, the post office returned them on the condition of wrongful address.

"Please, let someone tell him that ICPC has been looking for him and if by the end of this week the invitation does not get to him, the commission shall be forced to declare him as having jumped bail. He needs to make himself available before he is accused of having jumped bail," the source said.

The plan to get the former police boss to explain his role, according to investigations by Sunday Trust, was arrived after investigators discovered that the former police boss had refused to obey a directive to transfer the interest on the money into the account of the Police Affairs Ministry.

"That he did not even inform the Presidency that the money had yielded an interest of N16 million was unfortunate. He ought to have told the Presidency of the true picture of the funds. But he kept quiet and refused to remit the interest to the relevant authorities. So, he needs to come to ICPC and clear certain issues," the source added.

The source confided in our reporter that the ICPC investigators were at a loss as to why the money which was meant for the purchase of police equipment was lodged in a fixed deposit account and was only released in November 2006 after the said money had yielded the sum of N16 million as interest.

Also to face questioning, according to the source, is one Mr. J. O. J Obaniyi who was said to be in the know of when the funds were deposited at the banks. A commissioner of police (names withheld) is also to be questioned by ICPC operatives, the source further revealed.

Contacted for comments on the issue, the ICPC Resident Consultant on Media, Mr. Fola Olamiti, told our reporter that he was aware that a letter of invitation was once dispatched to the former IG some months ago but cannot say if the letters were received.

"I am aware that the ICPC dispatched a letter of invitation and I had thought the IG had responded to it. But if he has not responded, I think he should respond," Olamiti said.

All attempts to reach the former IG proved abortive. But Sunday Trust reliably learnt that the former police boss lives in another part of Abuja, different from the address he gave to ICPC.

"I can inform you authoritatively that the former IG lives in this Estate and something must have gone wrong if his letters are addressed to another destination. You know, things get mixed up sometimes and I am sure if the letter is sent to the correct address, the former police boss will certainly get it," the source said.


He, however, turned down a request to give the house number of the IG's residence.


http://allafrica.com/stories/200810060300.html

N557m arms deal: Ehindero offers to face interrogation 19/10/2008

A former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, has offered to appear before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for fresh rounds of interrogation in an N557million arms deal.
Ehindero, who made the offer in a letter to the Chairman of the ICPC, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd), said he was not evading appearance before the-anti-graft commission.

In the October 16, 2008 letter, Ehindero said he had been in Buenos Aires , Argentina since October 7, 2008 to attend the International Bar Association, (IBA), Conference.

He said: "Information reached me that ICPC wanted to reach out to me when I am abroad. Immediately the conference ends, I will make myself available not later than October 24, 2008.

"I regret whatever inconvenience my absence must have caused please."

The response of the ex-IGP will lay to rest a four-month controversy over fresh summons served on him by the ICPC.

Although the former IGP was quizzed in April by the ICPC, he was re-invited for interrogation on seven queries on the N557million vote since June 18, 2008 but it had been difficult to locate him.

The address he left with the ICPC was No. 15, Constitution Avenue , Ganduwa Estate, Abuja but mails could not be delivered at the place.

While the commission claimed that it had been difficult delivering a letter of invitation to Ehindero, the embattled former IGP said such summon should have been sent to him through the incumbent IGP, Mr. Mike Okiro.

The Chairman of the ICPC, Ayoola, had last Friday said the commission might arrest Ehindero if he refuses to honour the fresh invitation.

Ayoola said the commission does not owe Ehindero any obligation to invite him through the serving Inspector-General of Police.

If Ehindero honours the latest letter of invitation, he has to respond to seven issues alongside the former Commissioner of Police (Budget), Mr. J.O. J. Obaniyi. Some of the queries are as follows:

Why the N557. 995.065million had already been placed in a fixed deposit account before former President Olusegun Obasanjo was informed of the donation to the police by Bayelsa State .

Why the former IGP and Obaniyi decided to still keep the money in a fixed deposit until November 2006 despite the directive of the former President issued on 12th July 2006 that the money be transferred to the Ministry of Police Affairs.

Why the former IGP and Obaniyi did not inform the Police Affairs Ministry in November 2006 when they finally released the funds as directed by the former President since 12th July 2006 that the interest had yielded about N16million.

Why the former IGP and Obaniyi did not inform the former President that the funds had been placed in a fixed deposit as at the time they informed Obasanjo of the donation by the Bayelsa State Government.

Why the former IGP and Obaniyi did not include the N16million interest the said money had yielded as part of the funds finally released to the Ministry of Police Affairs.

The ex-IG had written a letter to former Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (now the Vice-President), for assistance to the Nigeria Police Force to buy arms and ammunition.

Ehindero said the weapons would be used to beef up security in Bayelsa State to ward off threats by militants.

It was gathered that although about N1billion was made available by the Bayelsa State Government, the police could only access N557.9million.

But the N557.9millionm vote ended in fixed deposit accounts in WEMA (N300million on July 4, 2006)) and Intercontinental (N200milion on July 10, 2006) banks.

Although about N16.5m interest was collected after the expiration of the tenor on the deposits, it was not remitted into the Federal Government’s account.

Following investigations into the N557.9million arms deal, the ICPC had in April grilled Ehindero and some officials of the Ministry of Police Affairs.

After the initial interrogation, the ICPC team raised fresh queries for Ehindero; a former Commissioner of Police (Budget), Mr. J. O.J. Obaniyi; and a Deputy Director, Alhaji Ibrahim Tumsa.

http://www.thenationonlineng.com/dynamicpage.asp?id=66660

Why I didn’t honour ICPC sumns - Ehindero 19.10.2008

After weeks of cat and mouse game, the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero has finally agreed to appear before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission {ICPC} probing him over alleged N557 million scam while in office.


He also opened up on his failure to honour the commission’s summons . After shunning the commission’s summons severally, the anti-corruption agency threatened to issue a bench warrant for his arrest, if he did not honour the last summon served on him on October 9, to appear last Tuesday, October 14.


He did not appear and the commission did not declare him wanted. Sunday Tribune however gathered that the commission might have decided not to declare him wanted because he had responded to the final summon through a letter addressed to the chairman of the commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola.


The letter, dated October 16, read “Information reached me that ICPC wanted to reach out to me when I am abroad. Unfortunately, I left Nigeria on October 7, 2008 to attend the International Bar Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Immediately the conference ends, I will make myself available not later than October 24, 2008. I regret whatever inconvenience my absence must have caused please”.


Responding to the letter, the commission said there was nothing personal about the probe. Its spokesperson, Mr. Folu Olamiti said that “ICPC investigation is not personalized. The invitation of the former IGP is part of the due process that we are noted for”.


Ehindero had faced interrogation once at the commission’s headquarters, with sources revealing that at a stage during the questioning session, he allegedly rained curses on his interrogators, reportedly saying that God would destroy them if they planned to destroy him through the probe.


He is being expected to clear some issues on the handling of the N12 million interest, accruing from the lodgement of the N557 million in the bank. Ehindero had reportedly claimed in his statement to the commission that the N12 million was used as operational cost, though the suspended Commissioner of Police, Budget, John Obaniyi, who served under him was said to have claimed in his statement to the commission that only Ehindero could explain what happened to the money.


Vice-President Jonathan Goodluck, as Governor of Bayelsa State released N557 million to the police as support fund, with Ehindero reportedly directing that it should be lodged in interest-yielding accounts in two commercial banks.


The commission reportedly decided to bring Ehindero back to the questioning table to explain who signed for the release of the N12 million as operational cost and what was done with the money.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/19102008/news/news7.html

lol the mamajama vs bigb1 beef goes on

The guy will soon be a free man like others as soon as Ibori looks into his case. His case file will go missing soon.

i v refused to give myself cardiac arrest because of these people,its ehindero's time now next thing that idiot waziri will do is say there isnt enough evidence, i bet you the 2.4 billion weapons the present ig(whats his face)has just handed over to the nigerian polic3e workn in sudan will blow open and then then vicious circle continues