N90.7M VETERINARY COUNCIL SCAM: Whistle Blower Alleges Threat To Life

The ongoing trial of the Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Dr. Daniel Maddo, has assumed a different turn following the allegation of threat to life by the key player in the discovery of the alleged looting of the Council’s treasury by the Registrar.

Mr. Emmanuel Ebirim, the self styled anti-corruption crusader who blew the whistle on Dr. Maddo which led to the investigation of the Council’s books by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had sent a petition to the Inspector General of Police alleging threats to his life and that of members of his family due to his involvement in the Veterinary Council case where the Registrar and two former staff of the Council are standing trial for allegedly misappropriating the sum of N90.7 million belonging to the Council.

In the letter written on behalf of Mr. Ebirim by his lawyers, Abubakar Umar & Co, the anti-corruption crusader stated that after he exposed the fraud at the Veterinary Council of Nigeria and his subsequent petition to the anti-graft agency, he has been receiving threat calls oh his phone lines.

He specifically mentioned a threat received recently where a male caller warned him to back off from the case and that a fly that does not hear goes down to the grave with the corpse.

He specifically accused Dr. Hilary Ibe as the mastermind of the threat as it is laced with Igbo proverb. Dr. Ibe was the former Director of Accounts at the Council who was sacked by the Board of the Council at the beginning of investigations into allegations of corruption by Mr. Ebirim and who is also standing trial alongside the Registrar and Mr. Alexander Abafi, the former Administrative Officer at the Council who had resigned and had taken up appointment as a Pastor in an ECWA church in Jos, the Plateau state capital.

They were arraigned before Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court last month on a 14-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and criminal subversion of the Council’s funds.

The charge alleged that they misappropriated the sum of N90.7 million and N7.6 million respectively meant for personnel cost and for the payment of promotion arrears of the employees of the Council.

They were also alleged to have conspired and forged documents with which they converted the Council’s landed properties in the Federal Capital Territory to themselves.

The trial is ongoing before the court which recently admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of one million Naira each and two sureties in like sum.

Following the granting of bail to the accused persons, the Registrar, Dr. Daniel Maddo, returned to office and resumed work as the Chief Executive of the Council.

This gave rise to an uproar at the Council as most workers protested the return of the Registrar who is due for retirement by August. They argued that the Registrar ought to be interdicted in line with Rule 030404 of the Civil Service Rules to enable him clear himself of the allegations against him.

Findings by our reporters indicate that the “treat to life” letter had been received at the IGP’s office but is yet to receive any action as at the time of filing this report.

By Nnamdi Felix /Abuja