Posted on: 11:11 Thu, 12 Nov 2015



Barely 24 hours after they were
retired, five of the affected 17
federal permanent secretaries may
face trial for alleged corruption.
One of those slated for trial has been
interrogated by the Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission(ICPC).

Another, who is rated as brilliant,
allegedly indulged in using public
funds for exotic vehicles, foreign
trips and outrageous hotel bills.
It was also learnt that two of those
involved were linked to alleged
bribery scandals.

The retired Perm Secs include Aliyu
Ismaila; Godknows Igali; Alhaji Baba
Farouk; Abdulkadir Musa; Linus
Awute; Fatima Bamidele; Obinna
John Chukwu; Ezekiel Oyemomi;
Anasthesia Nwaobia; Tunji Olaopa;
George A. Ossi ; Mike John Nwabiala;
Mohammed Bashar and Abdullahi
Yola.

The fate of four others was unknown
yesterday as they were either not
given retirement letters or put on the
list of those deployed.

The floating permanent secretaries
are: Odusote Ibukun; Henry Akpan,
Nkechi Ejele and Dr. James Obiagwu.
According to investigation, the
Presidency was disturbed by security
reports that many permanent
secretaries embezzled public funds
with impunity and were living above
their means.

The intelligence survey also revealed
massive acquisition of property by
permanent secretaries and top
directors in the civil service.

It was gathered that the security
reports were confirmed by the
disclosures in some books by
Governor Nasir El-Rufai and a
former Permanent Secretary, Dr.
Goke Adegoroye.

Some of the allegations being probed
include acquisition of choice
properties; $4.5b tax holidays;
N1.9billion Ebola Fund(including
N900million for isolation tents);
$2billion arms deal; N29billion
fictitious contracts; N275.5million
budget for 2015 poll monitoring; the
mismanagement of subsidy funds;
questionable waivers and N2.4
billion fertiliser scam.

A source, who spoke in confidence,
said: “About five of the retired
permanent secretaries might face
trial based on discreet investigation
by some security agencies on how
they mismanaged their ministries.

“Some of these permanent
secretaries appeared before one or
two anti-graft agencies for
questioning. They are already aware
of their pending trial.

“Some of these senior civil servants
have been pleading for soft landing
but the government may not listen to
them.

Asked to be specific on those
affected, the source added: “The anti-
graft agencies will soon take charge.”

A former Permanent Secretary in the
FCT, Adegoroye said compared to the
success recorded in public service
reform between 2004 and 2007,
“there is now [in 2014] more rot to
be cleared within the civil service
system” .

El-Rufai said: “This notion of let’s
protect our own, no matter how bad
they are, is the problem of the public
service, where the federal service is
now, is more troubling, because only
those that are in finance, supply, and
so on get to be permanent secretaries
these days. The proportion of those
in the lines where there is money
that become Permanent Secretaries is
a major indictment on the federal
public service.”

On the fate of the floating perm secs,
a source said: “I think there was a
little error in the compilation of the
list of those retired. While the
Presidency put the figure at 17, a
statement by the Office of the Head
of the Civil Service of the Federation
said it was 16.

“When the list of deployment was
released, these permanent secretaries
were neither among those retired
nor assigned.

“The Head of Service is making
necessary clarifications from the
Presidency.”

Five ex-permanent secretaries to
face trial for alleged corruption –
The Nation Nigeria

Source: TheNation