News
EFCC summons 146 Christian pilgrim commission officials over alleged fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is investigating the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission over an alleged misappropriation of public funds, The PUNCH can authoritatively report.
A reliable source in the anti-graft agency revealed that about 146 staff of the NCPC have been invited for questioning by the EFCC.
The invited staff of the NCPC, it was further gathered, were to report at the EFCC’s corporate headquarters from Monday, January to.
The source said, “The commission is currently investigating the NCPC and we have invited about 146 staff of the commission for questioning. They all have been assigned various dates to report at the EFCC’s headquarters and it is between Monday and Friday.”
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached on Sunday to confirm the report.
An internal memo from the NCPC dated January 16, imploring the invited staff to go along with their passports to the EFCC’s office.
The memo signed by Assistant Director APD, Chukwura Frank, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, was titled, ‘Re: Invitation by EFCC on investigation of misappropriation of public funds’.
It partly read, “I am directed to inform you that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited 146 officers of the Commission (both serving and retired) for an interview, and to go along with their international passports (sic) for this purpose.
“In furtherance to the above, the officers on the attached list should report to the EFCC on the dates indicated against their names for the interview with Head, Special Duty Committee 3, at EFCC Headquarters Jabi, Plot 301/302 Institution and Research District, Abuja by 10:00 am prompt
“This is for your information and strict compliance, please.”
According to the memo, those scheduled to appear include the Assistant Chief Accountant on Wednesday, January 22, 2025; the Assistant Chief Executive (Statistician), Principal Executive Officer (Accounts), Principal Accountant, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Assistant Chief Planning Officer, and Assistant Chief Executive (Accounts) on Thursday, January 23, 2025; and the Principal Procurement Officer, Principal Planning Officer, and Principal Information Officer on Monday, January 27, 2025, among others.
The spokesperson for the NCPC, Celestine Ogugua, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.
One of those invited contacted by our correspondent said the invitation was a routine check into the books of the commission.
He said, “It is not a new thing for us here. It is a routine exercise to check the books of the commission. It is nothing to worry about.”
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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