Civil Society group wants ICPC boss removed over refusal to probe NEXIM Director

The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately remove the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Barrister Nta Ekpo over what it termed refusal of the ICPC boss to probe allegations of corruption against the  Executive Director Business Development of the Nigerian Import Export Bank (NEXIM), Mrs. Folake Itohan which was brought to his attention.

In a letter to president Buhari, the group alleged that group said as concerned citizens it is worried by the sincerity of those saddled with responsibility to lead the anti-corruption war of the president.

The letter signed by Comrade Oche Elaigwu, the Executive Director of the centre said, " On 5th June, 2015 we wrote to the ICPC whereupon we chronicled the massive fraud committed and lies told on oath by the Executive Director Business Development of the Nigerian Import Export Bank (NEXIM), Mrs. Folake Itohan Oke Salami in order to attain her said office.

 Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria in its determination to ensure that only “fit and proper persons” are approved for appointment to board, top management/executive and critical operational positions in banks, discount houses and other financial institutions reviewed its circular referenced BSD/DO/CIR/VOL.1/01/2001 dated January 4, 2001 on the criteria for board and top management positions in Nigerian banks. In the light of the above, paragraph 3.2A of the said circular states that a Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Executive Director of a bank such as NEXIM Bank must have possessed a minimum of fifteen (15) years post qualification experience out of which, at least, ten (10) must be in management and leadership positions.

Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Folake Itohan Oke Salami has held several management and executive positions across public, private, and non-governmental sectors in the past 15 (Fifteen) years. These include Union Bank of Nigeria, Gulf Bank of Nigeria, First City Monument Bank and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria where she served as the FCT-Abuja Controller before she was dismissed.

Thereafter, she proceeded to establish a Bureau De Change which she disguised as a “Multipurpose Cooperative Society” and designated herself as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.

This illegal act of Mrs. Folake Itohan Oke Salami was aimed at faking her status in the banking sector so it could look as if she has met the criteria of the Central Bank of Nigeria for appointment as Executive Director of a bank such as Nigerian Export-Import Bank. 

We made it crystal clear to the ICPC that a ‘Multi-purpose Cooperative Society’ does not qualify as a bank in the eyes of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

We gave them cogent reasons to see Mrs. Folake Itohan Oke Salami’s claim of having acted in the capacity of Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of her mushroom Multi-purpose Cooperative Society as a huge fraud just to earn herself the office of Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Export-Import Bank to the detriment of the other suitably qualified Nigerian citizens.

This constitutes an offence punishable under Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act No. 5, 2000 for which the ICPC should have investigated, arrested and prosecuted Mrs. Salami.

Our grouse is that even though the Head of Administrative Services of the ICPC in person of Nathan Bako who received our petition on behalf of the Chairman assured that the Commission was going to swiftly act on same, we later confirmed that the entire process was thwarted by the Chairman himself after he had compromised with Mrs. Salami who is notorious for bribing her way through thick and thin in order to remain in public office.  

In response to the global and national moral consensus to free the nation from corrupt persons, we instituted a law suit against the ICPC at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and secured an Order of Mandamus compelling the anti-graft agency to perform their duties by bringing Mrs. Salami to book. Up till this moment, the Chairman of ICPC has chosen to place the interest of Mrs. Salami over and above the interest of Nigeria as a nation by flagrantly refusing to obey the Order of Mandamus.

In fact, he is grandstanding around town that nobody can remove him from the position which he now occupies even if the heaven falls!

Your Excellency sir, it is obvious that Barrister Nta Ekpo lacks what it takes to work under your present administration which is anchored on change of the hitherto corruption-friendly regime. He lacks integrity and can only lead the ICPC to doom.

We therefore call on you to overhaul the ICPC by first removing the Chairman in the manner you did in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which many local and international observers within and outside have confirmed to have improved tremendously in the fight against corruption and criminality in Nigeria.

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