Corruption in Radiographers Reg Board of Nig and how ICPC and EFCC compromised to stop the investigation

CORRUPTION IN RADIOGRAPHERS REGISTRATION BOARD OF NIGERIA, A PARASTATAL UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH, LOCATED AT THE CENTRAL MEDICAL LIBRARY COMPOUND, YABA, LAGOS AND; THE REFUSAL OF EFCC AND ICPC INVESTIGATIVE TEAM IN LAGOS  TO
CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE PETITION BEFORE THEM, POSSIBILY BECAUSE THEY HAVE COMPROMISED DESPITE THE ADMISSION OF SOME WITNESSES  WHO APPEAR BEFORE ICPC THAT THE REGISTRAR/CEO, HEAD OF ADMIN & HEAD OF ACCOUNTS PERPETUATED CORRUPTION AND FLAGRANTLY CONTRAVENED  LAWS.

It’s on record that the commitment of media, civil society groups and other patriotic Nigerians in fighting corruption in Nigeria is responsible for the success the country has recorded in fighting corruption.

They have taken the fight against corruption as their first constitutional responsibility to bring cases of corruption to the public knowledge, investigate, compelled anti-graft agencies to investigate and prosecute those involved in corruption. I appeal to the media, media practitioners, columnist, civil society groups and patriotic Nigerians on behalf of tens of millions of Nigerians who have been deprived by corrupt officers to suffer from basic infrastructures and good life, to stand for them and compel the EFCC AND ICPC who had possibly compromised and stopped the investigation of the petition before the, despite the few witnesses interrogated by ICPC admission that the Mr. Okpaleke M.S (Registrar/CEO, Mr. Opaleye G.O (Head, Admin) and Mr. Olarinde A.A (Head of Accounts) defrauded the Board and deliberately violated government laws to ensure that the petition is investigated, all the witnesses interrogated and offenders prosecuted.

 If you have seen what corruption has caused/causing Nigerians who should have been enjoying the best infrastructures and good life in the world because of the enormous wealth of Nigeria, then, take this as your personal fight and Nigerians will be great full to you. I urge you to publish this corruption perpetuated by the accused, compel the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate the attached petitions and interrogate all the witnesses; and monitor the investigations.

 I appeal to you not to doubt this information but you do, I urge you to request ICPC, Lagos
State Office to provide you the written statement of the few interrogated witnesses and compel anti draft agencies to print the call logs of mobile numbers (see item 3 of the main petition attached for their mobile numbers) between Mr. Omonaiye Kola and the three accused persons to have confidence in this case. If you can do this, you will get the confirmation of corruption and flagrant violations of Federal government laws perpetuated by the accused The ICPC and EFCC investigative team in Lagos state suddenly stopped the invitation and interrogation of all the witnesses mentioned in the attached petition they started investigating since June 2013 possibly because they have compromised.

The few witnesses invited and interrogated by ICPC before stopping the investigation had made useful evidences on how the Mr. Okpaleke M.S (Registrar/CEO, Mr. Opaleye G.O (Head, Admin) and Mr. Olarinde A.A (Head of Accounts) defrauded the Board and deliberately violated government laws.

1)      For example, the legal officer of the Board, one Mrs. Abdullahi Yahaya Fatima who was invited as a witness by ICPC admitted that the three accused persons had awarded the contract for the renovation of Kano zonal office of the board at the cost of #7.5million and #5million paid to the contractor for 75% job done before the accused presented the contract to the Tenders board for consideration and approval. At the Tenders Board meeting, Mr. Chiedebere T.C told the accused that they had deliberately and flagrantly violated the procurement act and he cannot be part of contract awarded through fraudulent process. The Head of Admin and Head of Accounts had serious quarrel with Mr. Chiedebere T.C because of his objection to the fraud. Besides the statement of the legal officer at the ICPC office above, my investigations revealed that the Kano Zonal officer –Mr. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar—transmitted the quotation of #2.5million jointly submitted by quantity surveyor and architect of Federal Secretariat Kano for the renovation of Kano zonal office to Lagos office which the three accused now awarded at the cost of #7.5million.

2) Mr. Igbavboa A Moses was sent to kano office in 2012 to assess the work to be done and had interactions with Architect (Arch yohanne) and the quantity surveyor (Mr. Ogundele Moses) of the Federal Secretariat Kano, hence he has good knowledge of the quotation submitted and should be interrogated to confirm the inflation of the contract from #2.5million to #7.5million. My findings also revealed that Mr. Onwuegbuchi Ebere now in port-Harcourt zonal office, refused to sign the contract documents as a member of tenders Board because of contract inflation and flagrant violation of procurement laws when the head of administration\ asked him to sign the contract documents.

 The accused have paid #7.5million for a job of #2.5million. My findings further reveal that the contract was not advertised and waver was not granted by Bureau for Public Procurement. The accountant of the Board admitted to one Mr. A.F.K Barkere—The Lagos State Chairman, Association of Radiographers of Nigeria--- that they perpetuated fraud in renovation of Kano zonal office when he requested him to ensure that the fraud as well as other sundry issues in the board are settled internally instead of petitioning anti-graft agencies as it was initially rumored that he was making friends with staff of the board to get incriminating documents to write petition against the Registrar/CEO. The inflation of contract, deliberate and flagrant violation of procurement laws perpetuated by the three accused persons in the renovation of Kano Zonal office, is exactly the type of crime (inflation of contract, deliberate and flagrant violation of procurement laws) that sent Chief Olabode George and his team at NPA to prison. The case was prosecuted by EFCC. For EFCC & ICPC investigative team in Lagos to have refused to investigate this petition with the above material facts show that they have possibly compromised.

 It means that EFCC would not have prosecuted Chief Olabode George if not for media and powerful forces that insisted that the case must be investigated and prosecuted. If you doubt this information, cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please. Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

3)      Mr. Udoh Imoh Sunday, the desk officer, institute department also admitted to ICPC that #5million was paid into his personal account by the accused persons. When asked what the money was meant for, he said it was for consultancy. Even if the money is meant for payment of consultants as claimed by Mr. udoh imoh Sunday, the payment of #5million into his account is a deliberate and flagrant violation of E-payment law of the Federal Government of Nigeria of making payment directly to consultants, contractors and payment of staff salaries. Since the e-payment laws started some years ago, the Board had not paid consultants through staff.

The petitioner stated in the petition attached, the names of consultants paid by e-payment system since Mr. Okpaleke M.S became the Registrar of the Board, and this I have confirmed to be true. So, while was #5million paid into Mr. Udoh Imoh Sunday’s account to pay consultants as claims by him instead of paying the consultants directly with e-payment system . The e-payment law is meant to fight corruption. It is clear that the accused used Mr. udoh imoh Sunday to defraud the Board. Mr.Chediebere T.C was the Ag head of institute before Mr. udoh imoh sundy was appointed the desk officer.

He was removed as the Ag head of institute because he refused to compromise and allowed the Registrar/CEO to use the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs to defraud the board.

If you doubt this information cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please. Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

4)      Mr. Akinsulire Akinyemi Moses was also interrogated by ICPC and made useful evidences. When the leader of ICPC investigative team who asked him if the entire allegation were true, the witness said “most of the allegations are true”. He also admitted to ICPC in writing, that there was a fraud of #5million. If you doubt this information, cause the anti-draft agencies to further and thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

5)      Mr. Adulateef Adulwaheed and Jogunola simon interrogated by ICPC also admitted that the accused persons defrauded the Board. If you doubt this information cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

6)      ICPC has stopped inviting witnesses for interrogation.  Mr. Onwuegbuchi Ebere,
Kano Zonal officer, Shaibu folashade , Igbavoa  Moses, the Internal Auditor, the Architect and quantity surveyor as well as the contractors mentioned in the petition and very key to this investigation, have not be invited for interrogation.

7)      The EFCC, since it commenced it investigation into the petition in June, 2013, the investigative team had not invited any witness mentioned in the petition. They only invited the accused and they have stopped the investigation. Now, you can see the petition EFCC refused to investigate revealed how contract was inflated and procurement laws violated; payment of #5million into staff account; admission of Mr. akinsulire akinyemi Moses that there was fraud of #5million and that most of the allegations in the petition are true sequel to the early commitment of ICPC to investigate the petition before they possibly compromised and stopped the investigation, just like EFCC.

8)      Besides the above revelations at ICPC before they compromised and stopped the investigation, my findings show that the Registrar/CEO secretly and illegally employed two staff from his state in December 2012 without approval from head of service of the federation, federal civil service commission and the federal ministry of health to employ and did not advertised the positions.

The two staff are one Miss Umeadi Anulika and one Miss Nwangwu Ngozi deployed to Abuja and Enugu office of the Board. The 2012 appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by Mr. President did not capture the salary and allowances of the two staff illegally employed by the Registrar/CEO, the salary and allowances of the two staff were not in the 2012 appropriated personnel cost of the Board but were paid salary and allowances in December 2012. Mr.  Okpaleke M.S (Registrar/CEO) arrogated the powers of the National Assembly to himself to appropriate monies to pay the two staff .The Registrar/CEO should show Nigerians the approval given to him to employ, the advertisement and the appropriation by the National Assembly for payment of the two staff salary and allowances in December 2012.

 Even the president of Nigeria cannot spend a kobo without appropriation for it. The Registrar/CEO also secretly and illegally interviewed four people in March 2013 without approval from the necessary organs of government to employ and was without advertisement but could not issue appointment letters to the secretly and illegally interviewed applicants because of this petition which was first made public via e-mail .

Mr. Adelowo and Adeoye both staff of the Board conducted the interview in March, 2013 and they are alive to testify whether they conducted employment interview in march 2013 or not .The former Comptroller General of immigration services (Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzom) was removed from office by the federal government because she violated the employment laws of Nigeria in recruiting the number of vacancy approved for her by the Head of Civil Service of Nigeria.

The offence of the Registrar/CEO (Mr. Okpaleke M.S) are even more grievous than that of former Comptroller General of Nigeria immigration Services as the Registrar/CEO had no approval to employ, did not also advertise and he paid the illegally employed staff in December 2012 without National Assembly appropriation, yet ICPC and EFCC are celebrating him for deliberately violating employment laws. I stand to be corrected, if this is not a punishable offence. If you doubt this information cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please. Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

9)  The Registrar/CEO in 2012 deliberately refuse to comply to the circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance in 2011 on the authority of the president of Nigeria to Federal government institutions to remit 25% of their IGR to Federation account. I stand to be corrected, if this is not a punishable offence. 

The 25% that should have been remitted was used to execute inflated contract for their personal gain. If you doubt this information cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please. Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

10)  Mr. Okpaleke M.S (Registrar/CEO) in his bid to buy over majority of council members of Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN) so that the petition against him will not be discussed at the council, directed one Mr. Adelowo, staff of the Board, to raise I.O .U of #35,550 from the Board’s cashier to buy air ticket for one Mr.  Ikamaise Valentine, a council member of ARN and not a Governing Board member of the parastatal, to attend ARN council meeting held on 4/5/13 in Calabar. The Registrar/CEO later directed the accountant pay from the board’s account to the cashier instead of using his personal money.

The payment voucher was prepared by forlashade and the record is Accounts department as well as Audit unit. The Registrar/CEO knows that ARN pay council members air ticket for council meeting. Is this not corruption and misapplication of public funds? If you doubt this information cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please. Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

11)   The purchase of five inflated vehicles and sharing of the proceed by the accused. Mr. Omonaiye kola admitted that he facilitated the sharing of millions of naira of the corrupt proceed from this contract to the accused persons and when he was not given anything, he sent a text message to the accountant demanding for his own share. A staff in accounts department who did not want his name to be mentioned said Mr. Omonaiye Kola told them that, the accused persons shared the proceeds of corruption and also showed them the text message he sent to the accountant when he got angry because he was not given any thing for helping them to facilitate the sharing.

The petitioner provided the phone numbers of Mr. Omonaiye kola and the accused persons in the attached petition and asked anti-graft agencies to print the call log to confirm what transpired and how they shared the proceed of their corrupt loot in this inflated contract. The anti-draft agencies refused to investigate this contract and request for the call logs as demanded by the petitioner because they had compromised.

Also, the less than one room size security post awarded without due process at the cost of #3million was inflated and to cover up the fraud, they splitted the payment voucher to two and the payment was made twice.

My findings also revealed that Mr. Onwuegbuchi Ebere now in port-Harcourt zonal office, refused to sign the contract documents as a member of tenders Board because of inflation of the contract and flagrant violation of procurement laws. This is also exactly the type of crime (corruption, inflation of contract, deliberate and flagrant violation of procurement laws) that sent Chief Olabode George and his team at NPA to prison.

Why did EFCC & ICPC investigative team in Lagos stopped to investigate this petition with material facts if not that they have possibly compromised. If you doubt this information cause the anti-draft agencies to thoroughly investigate this corruption and follow up, please. Thank you for your patriotism to fight corruption in Nigeria.

12)   A reliable inside source at the anti-draft agencies who did not wants his name to be mention  and not happy with the way some anti-draft personnel compromise, said that the investigative teams of the anti-graft agencies in Lagos State handling the petition possibly and easily compromised because the petitioner did not show up one day since they received the petition and that the accused persons had bought the case (investigation) with part of what they looted from the Board and this case can only be revisited, properly investigated and the accused persons brought to book if the media, media practitioners, columnist, civil society groups and other patriotic Nigerians take over this petition to demand for justice.

Now the question is, must the petitioner report at their office? What the anti-graft agencies require is intelligent information and the patriotic petitioner has furnished them with information of material facts to do jobs. Thank God the few witnesses invited and interrogated by ICPC before they possibly compromised to stop the investigation own to the fact that the petitioner did not show up in their office had admitted that the accused persons perpetuated fraud and violated Government laws.

 It is like the JTF in North West of Nigeria getting intelligent information of the planned attack by Bokoharam Sec or their hide out and the JTF will be waiting for the that passed the intelligent information them before taken comprehensive actions against the Bokoharam Sec. Corruption in Nigeria is worse than Bokoharam as it exists in every government office in Nigeria and the aftermath of the corruption is seriously affecting over 160 million Nigerians and has brought Nigeria to her knees.

We cannot allow this case uninvestigated and unprosecuted. is a pity that the investigative team of the anti-draft agencies in Lagos had to possibly compromised to stop the investigation despite the confession of few invited and interrogated witnesses that the accused persons perpetuated frauds and flagrantly violated Government laws .

The petitioner confided in me that he was scared of assassination because if the Registrar/CEO can threaten to kill the National and Lagos chairman of ARN at ARN council meeting when the National and Lagos state chairman asked him to defend his involvement in the petition, then he can do anything.

The case of threat to life was handled by SSS. The National and Lagos chairman of ARN have documentary evidence of the threat to their life. If you doubt me, investigate.

13)   I have been following some leads since the news of the petition against the accused officers broke out in March 2013 and my findings revealed that more than 75% of the allegations are true.

 If not that the anti-graft agency have compromised and thereafter stopped the investigations, the can of worms of corruption and flagrant violations of laws deliberately perpetuated by the three accused would have be opened. This petition is not politically motivated to tarnish the image of the accused or stop Mr. Okpaleke M.S from becoming the Registrar/CEO of the board as being claimed by Mr. Okpaleke M.S (Registrar/CEO) and his comrade in crime.

 As part of my efforts to ensure the anti-graft agencies are compelled to adequately investigate this petition and bring the corrupt officers to book as well as updating you, I have obtained the soft copies of the petition and other correspondences from the petitioner who do not want his identity reveal and are attached herewith.

14)   My prayer: On behalf of the patriotic petitioner and tens of millions of Nigerians suffering from untold hardship of poverty and those at the point of death because of the massive corruption taken place in Nigeria, I request you to publish this corruption; compel the ICPC, EFCC and other government institutions to lunch a full scale investigations into the
petitions, ensure all the witnesses to the petitions are invited and interrogated and indicted offenders prosecuted according to the law.

You have to fight for Nigerians to ensure ICPC and EFCC investigative team in Lagos
state do not sweep this corruption under the carpet. You can reach me on
belloahmed300@yahoo.com

  Ahmed Bello
Radiographer.

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