ICPC Drags Ex-Buhari Aide, Obono-Obla To Court For Certificate Forgery, N19.9m Fraud

A former chairman of the disbanded Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Public Property’s Recovery, Mr Okoi Obono-Obla has been arraigned in court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The ex-presidential aide was arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja presided over by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi for certificate forgery and embezzlement of public fund.

The ICPC in a statement on Saturday disclosed that Obono-Obla is facing the charges along with his Special Adviser on Protocol, Aliyu Ibrahim, and the Managing Director of ABR Global Petroleum Resources Limited, Daniel Omughele.

Apart from the allegation of embezzling public fund and abuse of public office, Obono-Obla is standing trial for knowingly presenting a fake result with a credit pass in English Literature to the University of Jos, with which he secured admission to read Law, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act,2000 and punishable under the same section.

He is facing a 10-count charge brought against him in court by the ICPC.

The ICPC Spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, said, “The commission alleged that while Obono-Obla did not sit for the Ordinary Level General Certificate Examination (GCE) in English Literature in 1982, he presented a result of the same GCE to the University of Jos, in 1985, containing Credit 6 from Mary Knoll College, Ogoja.

“An offence which is contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act 532, Vol. 4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“The charge further revealed that Obono-Obla, Aliyu Ibrahim and Daniel Omughele, in July 2018, diverted N18.2 million out of N19.9 million released to SPIP for office furniture by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Cooperation.

“Ibrahim was accused of receiving the money from six contractors who had won bids for the office furnishing contrary to Section 26 (c)(i) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 68 of the same Act.”

The accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court and their lawyers prayed the Judge to grant them bail, a move not objected by the ICPC counsel.

The ICPC counsel however urged the court to grant them bail on such conditions to ensure their attendance in court for trial.

Justice Adeniyi thereafter granted them bail in the sum of N10 million each and a surety in like sum.

The case was adjourned to March 17, 18, and 19 for the commencement of trial.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has ordered the arrest of Chief Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho over the quit order issued to Fulani herdsmen in Oyo State.

The Cable reports the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu was quoted by BBC Hausa on Friday to have confirmed the arrest order.

Naija News reports Igboho, a youth leader and activist in Oyo State had issued a seven-day ultimatum to Fulani herders to leave Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The freedom fighter insisted that Fulani herders must fish out the killers of prominent Yoruba sons and daughters. He said that the reason for asking the herders to leave is because of unending killings and kidnapping.