By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has refuted a report by Vanguard newspapers that it failed to prosecute those it indicted in its yearly reports on constituency projects across the country.
The Commission in a statement issued on Saturday reaffirmed its robust efforts in combating corruption across Nigeria, to contradict the newspaper’s sensational headline.
TheFact Daily reports that the Vanguard newspapers in its Saturday 13th April 2024 edition ran a headline: “N2trn constituency project fraud: ICPC toothless bulldog, fails to prosecute suspects”.
The story had it that the Commission, after verifying constituency projects across the country, in its report in 2022, “frowned seriously at the deep-seated misnomer that has continued to rob the nation of funds. However, the Commission did not do more than render scathing remarks”.
The story added that “although the Commission claimed that it found instances where lawmakers awarded contracts under their constituency projects to themselves or their proxy companies, it did not have the courage to mention the names of those involved in the illicit acts but admitted that the overall amount involved in constituency project fraud ran into billions of naira”.
The newspaper said also that ICPC has been very reluctant to expose those found to have inflated constituency projects or diverted the cash meant for the projects while it has also remained silent over the lawmakers indicted and has failed to prosecute anybody for the constituency projects fraud.
Reacting to the newspaper report, the Commission posited that among the on-going legal proceedings is a notable 22-million-naira contract scam currently under litigation at the Federal High Court in Makurdi, Benue State, emphasizing its proactive approach to addressing corruption at all levels of society.
“Additionally, cases are being pursued in federal high courts located in Abuja, Plateau, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Nasarawa States, demonstrating the breadth and depth of ICPC’s operations”, the Commission said.
The ICPC affirmed that as Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption agency, it operates with integrity transparency and accountability, which are her watchwords, ensuring unfettered access for the media to its operational activities. “Therefore, it is regrettable that Vanguard Newspaper published unsubstantiated claims without verifying facts with the ICPC or checking with any courts of record”.
For avoidance of doubts, the ICPC has conducted thorough investigations into alleged infractions by members of the political class, including Senators and members of the House of Representatives, especially regarding the execution of FG funded constituency projects, with a view to fostering accountability and ethical conduct in public service.
The anti-graft agency further averred that it has conducted thorough investigations into alleged infractions by members of the political class, including Senators and members of the House of Representatives, especially regarding the execution of FG funded constituency projects, with a view to fostering accountability and ethical conduct in public service.
“The Commission urges media organizations to adhere to professional journalistic standards by verifying information before dissemination”, the statement said.
