•EFCC grills two Permanent Secretaries over scandal

•Releases suspect with N600m in account on bail

by Yusuf Alli,


TWO Federal Permanent Secretaries and three Directors of Finance have joined the list of those questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the ongoing probe of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita over an alleged N3billion contract scam.

Another suspect in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) who was detained after freezing the N600million in his account, has been released, The Nation learnt yesterday.

The released suspect is said to be a Project Accountant in the OHCSF.

Oyo-Ita herself is weighing options opened to her as she anxiously awaits the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari on her fate.
She does not want to be dismissed from office by the president, sources said.

The Nation also gathered that some highly-placed Nigerians may have been trying to intercede on her behalf with the President.

The options being considered by Oyo-Ita include a soft-landing by getting the authorities to hear her own side of the story; retirement or resignation; and a waiver from prosecution after returning funds allegedly traced to companies linked to her.

Her camp was in a dilemma yesterday on whether she should attend the presidential retreat for ministers-designate tomorrow.
She has been receiving treatment in an Abuja hospital in the last one week.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that the quizzed Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Finance confirmed the award of the contracts to the firms associated with Oyo-Ita.

It was learnt that they made payment vouchers and other relevant documents available to the EFCC investigating team.

A top source said: “our detectives have interrogated two Permanent Secretaries and three Directors of Finance of some of the ministries where contracts linked with the Head of Service were awarded.

“The investigating team has made progress because these officers are ready to testify against Oyo-Ita. They kept records and made all relevant documents available.

“We will soon release the details of our findings to the public to prove that our operatives had a good trail of these contracts and some money.

“We are expecting Oyo-Ita to recover as fast as possible in order to be able to report for interrogation on more issues we have raised for her. Some clues have led to the uncovering of more links.”

Responding to a question, the source said the “suspect in whose account we found N600million has been released on bail but his movement restricted pending the conclusion of investigation.

“All the invited Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Finance were also placed on administrative bail.”

A reliable source in the presidency confirmed that “she has been contacting highly-placed Nigerians to intercede on her behalf but we do not know what she wants from the President.

“Only the President can determine her fate in the light of the report of the preliminary investigation of the EFCC.

“I think when the President returns, he will look at the issues dispassionately and take a decision in the interest of the public.

“If you have observed the President since 2015, he does not rush to judgment on any case unlike during his tenure as a Military Head of State.
“The only constant thing about President Buhari is that he will not condone corruption no matter how big you are.”

A source close to her said: “Certainly, she wants to be allowed the benefit of the doubt. She prefers a soft landing to being hurled before a court.

“Many people are out to prevail on the President to negotiate her exit. The soft-landing options being considered by Oyo-Ita and her strategy team border on getting to hear her side, either retirement or resignation and a waiver from prosecution after returning funds allegedly traced to her or companies linked with her.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/alleged-n3b-scam-oyo-ita-weighs-options-seeks-soft-landing/

Lol, if you want to get rid of a public office holder, just open his/her files. They're all corrupt.

ABBA Kyari and co now laughing in Kanuri......hahahahahihihihih

Show me someone who is not corrupt in this PMB cabinet

This is a very delicate case and I’m closely following to see how the president will handle it. Whatever happens to the woman will have a significant impact on another anti corruption case against the head of a federal agency that I’ve been working on since March. She has been doing everything possible to frustrate the case and prevent the removal of the man. As fate would have it, she’s now battling her own corruption problem. Hopefully, the president will wild the big stick. There should be no sacred cow in the fight against corruption.

No soft landing for corrupt government officials.. The money was stolen deliberately not by mistakes. Let the justice prevails

Oyo-Ita should not get any soft landing.

Pmb's anti corruption fight is definitely baised, but there are no excuses for those who have dipped their hands in the cookie jar illegally.

Oyo-Ita should also expose corruption issues such as maina's illegal reinstatement.

Hopefully, efcc will also go after other saints using the same vigour...

Government officials from the level of DIRECTORS, PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTERS,GOVERNORS LG CHAIRMEN,PRESIDENTS all corners government contracts and award them to themselves, companies and cronies, they collect salaries and benefits while in office yet still corner contracts meant for the public to themselves, the masses are left without jobs and anything to do,why wouldn't there be unemployment, kidnapping, armed banditry and youthful restlessness when there are no jobs out there for them to do. The only way to set the country on the right part is to move against all these pen robbers in power, without this,the country is heading no where

Another non-hausa fulani about to be sacrificed though she may be corrupt as alleged.All the southern criminal are always thoroughly exposed while their northern counterparts are well shielded.Continue.

Hmm they now want Muhammad or yusuf to take her job, why not doing it with spoiling her name?

[s]

seunmsg:
This is a very delicate case and I’m closely following to see how the president will handle it.........
Hopefully, the president will wild the big stick. There should be no sacred cow in the fight against corruption.

[/s]

President Buhari currently faces serious allegations, which include staging show trials of opponents of a regime that is accused of corruption and graft, while simultaneously shielding his own party members and inner circle.

https://www.thecable.ng/why-you-should-not-invest-in-nigeria-former-uk-secretary-of-state-writes-investors
Abdulrasheed Maina, Abba Kyari, Prof.Yusuf(NHIS Sec) AGF-Malami, Aisha Buhari-2.5B unknown donations, Ahmed Sirika-1.5B Air Nigeria logo scam, Lai-13M MOI scandal etc among among many readily come to mind.
Corruption stinks in each successive governments but Buhari government is the most hypocritical and the worst.

This fight against corruption is the most stupidest and unnecessary fight ever.

Is Nigeria corrupt? Yes fantastically so. Am I supporting corruption? No!

Buhari has chosen the path of least resistance in fighting corruption and shallow minded people who are easily fooled have been taken in by this fight that can never end nor even reduce corruption because corruption is a hydra headed snake and all buhari is doing is to cut off heads of corruption here and there yet in place of every head he cuts, a million sprouts again. Nigeria is corrupt to the bones, 99% of Nigerians are corrupt and the remaining 1% who are supposedly not corrupt already carry the virus inside them. Rich Nigerians steal to perpetuate their wealth, poor Nigerians steal to escape their poverty. Even the people fighting corruption are corrupt! To fight corruption in such a society, is to fight a battle that can never be won.

Yet I do not blame Nigerians. Because we have been forced to live at the level of survival. And to live from that level is a dog eat dog World, it's a world where there are no rules, the only thing that matters is survival. Corruption thrives in such an atmosphere.

In a country where government has abysmally abdicated its responsibility what do you expect?No electricity, no good roads, we provide water ourselves, we share the burden of providing energy by buying generators and fueling it, we are 100% responsible for the education of our children, 100% responsible for our medical and health care needs. No succour anywhere and yet you think that the salary of the regular civil servant will suffice to take care of his needs? No naa. Let's be realistic. The same condition affects those in the private sector.

Buhari has chosen to ignore the drivers of corruption because that requires hardwork. The only lasting anti dote to corruption is to lift the people beyond mere survival, boost the economy, offer deep succour to the people, engineer economic revival in such a way that no government official need reel out statistics because it would be evident to everyone. And yes this is possible but it requires hardwork, resilience, radical vision, creativity and wisdom.

A father who does not provide for his children has already given them rich excuses to steal and engage in thievery. It is when a father has ensured that he has adequately provided for his children that he can now discipline them in the most strictest sense if they engage in thievery. Buhari raise your people up from impoverishment, provide schools and fund education, solve the problem of energy supply, provide good heath care, let there be food security. After these things have been done then you can justifiably fight corruption. Until these have been tackled, you are just chasing after the wind.

This corruption thing is so deep, people do not even realise that it has become instinctive in us, it has become wired into the collective unconscious of the people. Fighting it the way Buhari has chosen to do, making it the cardinal policy drive of his government shows a man who lacks critical thinking.

The fight surely gets him plaudits, crooks, thieves and fraudsters here and there are caught and punished but believe me corruption is alive and thriving. Buhari will do his term and go, corruption will outlive him cos he has not poisoned the heart of the hydra, he's merely cutting the heads and preening himself from the loud approval of foolish, unthinking dolts who have no understanding of the depths of corruption we have sank into as a people and the fact that the creative option is the way to go about nailing corruption and not this negative fight that will produce no lasting effect.

Racoon:
[s][/s]
[b][/b]
https://www.thecable.ng/why-you-should-not-invest-in-nigeria-former-uk-secretary-of-state-writes-investors
Abdulrasheed Maina, Abba Kyari, Prof.Yusuf(NHIS Sec) AGF-Malami, Aisha Buhari-2.5B unknown donations, Ahmed Sirika-1.5B Air Nigeria logo scam, Lai-13M MOI scandal etc among among many readily come to mind.
Corruption stinks in each successive governments but Buhari government is the most hypocritical and the worst.

Maina stole billions of pension funds under Jonathan and not under the current government. Prof. Yusuf of NHIS had since been sacked. What’s the story about Aisha Buhari and N2.5? I bet the case only exist in your imagination. Air Nigeria is still a work in progress. The airline will come to life before the end of this administration. What are you accusing Lai Mohammed of again? If it’s the digital switch over contract, the DG of NBC is currently on trial for that. You should wait for the court to decide.

Racoon:
Another non-hausa fulani about to be sacrificed though she may be corrupt as alleged.All the southern criminal are always thoroughly exposed while the northern abokis are well shielded.Continue.

Fulani herdsmen packed money and deposited into Ogun-Ita, sorry I mean Oyo-Ita's accounts and told her to be spending it.

Mheeen!

Soon this this thread will turn into TRIBAL and POLITICAL war.

Who cares?!!!

IDGAF

Kworuption In Buhari’s administration is mind boggling

Bubu always give option of soft landing to his people, then they will travel out of the country.....



The corruption fighter!

God bless the EFCC

God bless His Excellence, President Mohammadu Buhari (GCFR)

Stubbornness! I'm sure someone told her to resign but greed did not allow her.

Buhari is a good man with BAD intentions


Very kworupt terrorist!

[s]

Pvssy:
God bless the EFCC

God bless His Excellence, President Mohammadu Buhari (GCFR)

[/s]


Sycophant!

President Abba kyari is really going after many people, but las las na who pay bribe pass na hin go save

..

F117nighthawk:
Government officials from the level of DIRECTORS, PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTERS,GOVERNORS LG CHAIRMEN,PRESIDENTS all corners government contracts and award them to themselves, companies and cronies, they collect salaries and benefits while in office yet still corner contracts meant for the public to themselves, the masses are left without jobs and anything to do,why wouldn't there be unemployment, kidnapping, armed banditry and youthful restlessness when there are no jobs out there for them to do. The only way to set the country on the right part is to move against all these pen robbers in power, without this,the country is heading no where

so you cannot enter farm or private biz. It's only govt work that is available ko
Lazy youth

No one is clean in this government

if it were left to me as President i would sack her.
Reasons:
it would serve as discouragement to the others that you should not even bear the thought of stealing under this government whether you have done it or not don't even think it. She's only remorseful right now because she was caught, if she wasn't would she be saying this.

Nigerians are seriously suffering, people cant eat in a day, youths are unemployed and you are stealing there future combined. This should not be tolerated.

If Buhari was to share there money to 3000Nigerian youths wont the country get a little better

MIKOLOWISKA:
so you cannot enter farm or private biz. It's only govt work that is available ko
Lazy youth

Tell me the number of private firms and private business u had done genuinely and be very truthful to your self and God up there,if u can boldly tell me here and no lie make SHANGO no kill u,tell me here the legitimate business success u have done

Only fools engage in dubious actions when everyone is seeking their downfall.
Something is wrong with this country if the head of service can award a contract
worth 3 billion without gettingg authorization from the minister.

She should be sacked immediately.

So sad that even our ladies are getting more crafty than the men .Only God can deliver us from the cankerworm of corruption since our women have joined the league