The Special Presidential
Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Funds, SPIPRPP, has submitted
names of 39 alleged treasury looters to the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS,
for the purpose of stopping them from traveling abroad.
Chairman of the panel, Chief Okoi
Obono Obla, said this at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja.
According to him, the action was
in accordance with the provisions of the Executive Order No 6 of 2018.
He revealed that the panel in
partnership with the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, NIA, was investigating some
Nigerians allegedly implicated in the Paradise Panama Papers.
He said “findings will be made
available to Nigerians in due course.”
He said the list of 39 persons
contained those currently under its investigation, including the governorship
candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Imo State, Senator Hope
Uzodinma; former Senate President, David Mark; former Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Demeji Bankole and the Tunsa brothers, Tijani Tunsa and
Ibrahim Tunsa) among others.
He said, “The Presidential Panel
has requested the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to place a travel ban on
some persons who are alleged to have abused their offices and looted our
commonwealth.
“The panel is investigating the
Tumsah brothers: Tijani Tumsah (Vice Chairman, Presidential Initiative on North
East) and Ibrahim Tumsah (Director, Finance and Accounts, Federal Ministry of
Power, Works and Housing) for alleged abuse of office, corruption and
possession of unaccounted suspicious wealth beyond their legitimate earnings.
“The Panel has recovered an
assortment of 86 brand-new luxury and sophisticated cars from the duo; 23 of
those vehicles are bullet-proof without the requisite permits.
“Also recovered from them are
several choice properties, located in highbrow areas of Abuja and a quarry in
Kuje, the Federal Capital Territory. The panel has since obtained an interim
order of forfeiture from FCT High Court in Abuja in respect of these
properties.
“In a counter move, typical of
corruption fighting back, the duo recently approached Court of Appeal that held
that the panel does not have power to obtain interim forfeiture from the FCT
High Court pursuant to the EFCC Act but from the Federal High Court pursuant to
the recovery of public property (special provision) Act 2004 which has
mischievously been misinterpreted and deliberately propagated by the appellants
to mean that this panel has no power to prosecute any matter in any court.
“Some of these other
pronouncements obviously reached ‘per incuriam’ have been challenged at the
Supreme Court.”
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