1st September, 2023
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said it has began probe of members of House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on the Investigation of Job Racketeering and Gross Mismanagement in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) over alleged receipts of bribes from the agencies that appeared before them.
Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, spokesperson for ICPC said this in a short statement released on Friday in Abuja.
According to her, the probe of members of the ad-hoc committee followed petitions received from Premium Times and Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, the Chairman of the Committee.
The newspaper alleged that some members of the committee were using fronts to collect bribes from those who were summoned to appear before them to avoid being embarrassed.
The newspaper reported how members of the committee allegedly collected N2m each from Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities and various sums of money from other individuals through an account belonging to a company.
However, the Chairman of the Committee, Gagdi had on Thursday denied the allegation.
He also revealed that the committee had written to the ICPC to investigate the allegations of bribery and extortion against it members.
Gadgi said ICPC will also investigate the account number allegedly released to heads of tertiary institutions for payment of the bribe as alleged in the report by Premium Times.
“I have already written to the ICPC to investigate the account number that was published by an online medium the owner of that account, whether there is any transaction by vice chancellors and rectors of polytechnic in the country.”
The Rep member said the committee would take legal action against the online medium over the publication, which aim, he said, was to “blackmail and discredit” the committee.
