ICPC Returns Recovered N980m To Fraud Victims

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered a total of N980.26million stolen from the Federal Ministries of Environment and Education and returned the said amount to the fraud victims. The funds were duly presented to the affected ministries at the ICPC Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, while the commission pledged to continue with the investigations. Speaking at the handover ceremony of the recovered loots to the original owners, the chairman of the ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta, said the recovery and the handing over of the funds are in line with the mandate of the commission. While giving the breakdown of the funds, the ICPC boss noted that the sum of N924.9million was recovered for the Great Green Wall programme of the federal government, meant to check desert encroachment through tree planting, while the balance sum of N56.2million was recovered for three secondary schools under the Ministry of Education, whose feeding subsidy funds of N103million were stolen. Nta said, “On the 1st of December, 2014, we received a petition from the Ministry of Environment in respect of a fraudulent electronic funds transfer from its account. A forged payment mandate in the sum of N924million was presented to one of the commercial banks, where the ministry’s account was domiciled. The funds were diverted to different company accounts. “The second case involves the alleged diversion of funds meant for meal subsidies of students and capital projects of three federal government colleges, namely: Federal Science Technical College, Ijebu-Imushin, Federal Government Girl’s College, Sagamu and Federal Government College, Odogbolu by the Federal Pay Officer in Abeokuta, Ogun State, which was reported by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.” The ICPC boss also said that the commission is still tracking and investigating the movement of N468.8million through some Bureau de Change by one Adeolu Olugbenga Adeyanju, the main accused in the Green Wall project case, who is currently facing charges before the FCT High Court in Maitama. Meanwhile, the ICPC boss has sounded a note of warning to state governors, who were recently given bailout funds, to judiciously use the funds for the purpose they are meant for as the commission is tracking the use of the funds and will not hesitate to come for any of them found wanting.