ICPC Probes Top Agric Ministry Officials Over N600m Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has started the probe of four senior officials in the Department of Farm Inputs Supports Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development over alleged diversion of funds running into hundreds of millions of naira.

The probe was in connection with alleged diversion of funds meant for monitoring exercise and sensitisation programmes.

The affected civil servants included a director, deputy director, head of accounting unit.

The ICPC invitation was via a letter referenced: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/220, addressed to the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, drawing the attention of the head, Farm Inputs Support Services Department.

The letter dated July 19, 2023, signed by Akeem Lawal, director, Operation, on behalf of the ICPC chairman, was received and acknowledged on July 20, 2023, by the office of the permanent secretary.

Titled: “Investigation Activities”, the commission stated that it was investigating alleged violations of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“Pursuant to Section 28 of the said Act, you are kindly requested to release the underlisted persons to appear before the undersigned at the ICPC headquarters on Thursday, July 20, 2023” the letter stated.

Another similar letter referenced: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/222, dated July 21, 2023, was written by the ICPC to the Permanent Secretary (Agric Ministry) for the attention of the Director, Finance and Account.

The letter titled: “Investigation Activities” requested the permanent secretary to release the director, Finance and Account to appear at the ICPC. The commission is investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

“Pursuant to Section 28 of the above Act, you are kindly requested to release the director, Finance and Account to appear before the undersigned on Wednesday 26th July, 2023 at the ICPC Headquarters Abuja, by 10:00am.

“The officer is to come along with Certified True Copies of the under listed documents of all payments made to the following staff of the Department of Farm Input Support Services Department from 1st January 2022 to date… ” the letter stated.

The documents requested by the ICPC were payment vouchers, minutes of authorising the payment, authority letter to make payment, and any other relevant documents.