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The government has described the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index, which downgraded Nigeria in the rating for 2020, as inaccurate and not a true reflection of the strides made in its fight against corruption.

The agency revealed that the country dropped three places, scoring lower in a number of areas since 2019. The government said the report was filled with discrepancies and inaccurate data. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that TI had failed to make use of available data on the government’s various reforms and other preventive steps. He emphasised that the agency has been using incorrect indices to rate Nigeria in the last decade.

As part of the government’s clampdown on corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended the previous Acting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chief, Ibrahim Magu, in 2020, after allegations that he had diverted funds recovered by the agency into private pockets, charges Magu’s lawyer has denied.

Buhari appointed Abdulrasheed Bawa as the head of the country’s anti-graft body. Bawa will now take charge of a string of high-profile investigations, including into alleged wrongdoing by P&ID, a gas firm with a U.S.$10 billion arbitration ruling that the government is going to appeal in the UK. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was established in 2003 as a law enforcement agency to investigate financial crimes and other corruption cases.

A group, League of Patriots has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-corruption agencies to launch a probe on the alleged diversion of funds, using “loyal” staff accounts by the Director General of National Lottery Regulatory Commission NLRC, Lanre Gbajiabiamila.

In a petitioned from the group signed by its National and Diaspora Conveners, Abdul Madaki and Williams Diokpa respectively, the group alleges that financial records obtained by them revealed that Lanre Gbajiamile uses trusted staff to rout out funds running into hundreds of millions.

The group further alleges that Lanre’s impunity peaked after his elder brother Femi Gbajiamila became the Speaker of the Federal House of Assembly. Part of the petition read:

“National Lottery Regulatory Commission, led by Mr. Lanre Gbajiabiamila has been perennially enmeshed in untamed corruption. These include diversion of public funds, routing out money to Senate and House Committee members in the National Assembly, and cooked-up expenses, including unapproved travelling allowances, using names of staff he trusts.

While lottery has become a veritable platform for improved revenue for other nations, Nigeria lottery under Gbajiabiamila is currently being run as a one-man-show as records here reveals.

“This fraudulent act peaked between 2019 and 2020 when Lanre boasted before every staff of the commission that he has become untouchable with the emergence of his brother as the Speaker, Federal House of Representatives. It was learned that he appealed to the staff to play along with him, promising to ensure that they would be well compensated if they cover up all they know that have been happening in the commission.

“For instance, the following staffs have received the under listed amount through their personal accounts which violates Federal Government financial laid down principles. (For further details, please see the enclosed Expenses list of the commission)

S/NO	NAME OF STAFF	DEPT	AMOUNT PAID INTO HIS PERSONAL A/C
1.	Oviawe Edwin T.	Fin./Acc.	N58,891,900.00
2.	Tunde Ezomon	Fin./Acc.	N37,355,800.00
3.	Oluwatosin	Acc. Admin	N32,023,400.00
4.	Momoh Jimoh Abdumutalib	DFA Office	N25,705,200.00
5.	Hassana Audu	CPO	N25,734,800.00
6.	Fumilola Akinlami	Sec. To DFA	N21,833,800.00

The group further alleges that records revealed that the DG uses the names of other staff to mop up fund which he gives Senate Committee members, including the Senate Committee Chairman on sports. (See attached expenditure sheet).

“Further investigation revealed that Mr. Kabir Abdullahi received the sum of N64,000,000 in cash on 23^rd and 24^th October, 2019 which they claimed was used to acquire computer consumables, without board’s approval nor public bidding in line with public procurements standards.

The group further asked the anti-corruption agencies to investigate Lanre Gbajiabiamile and bring him to book if found culpable of the allegations of criminal diversion of public funds.

EFCC

Corrupt Nation: We Reject Transparency Int’l Rating

The government has described the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index, which downgraded Nigeria in the rating for 2020, as inaccurate and not a true reflection of the strides made in its fight against corruption.

Breaking: Group Petitions Anti-Corruption Agencies To Launch A Probe On Gbajiabimila