ICPC Interrogates Top Officials from Agriculture Ministry over Alleged Fraud

Officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC) detained about five senior members of the Department of Farm Inputs Supports Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development over alleged money laundering.

They were reportedly taken into custody on Thursday around nine in the morning following an hour-long sting operation in their office on the fifth floor of the Bank of Agriculture Building in Garki, Abuja.

The ICPC held four of the officials for five days before releasing them, according to information obtained. The director of the group is rumored to have been let go for health reasons.

Gistlover  learned that the arrest has strained relations among the personnel at FISS and other parastatals under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to a source, the investigation is related to the misappropriation of funds for programs to monitor exercise and sensitization.

The monitoring and assessment of agricultural inputs was alleged to have been hampered by the circumstance.

Over N200 million was reportedly discovered in the bank account of one of the officials being questioned, and over N100 million was discovered in the bank account of one of his children, according to information obtained.

A suspect’s Abuja home also contained more than N250 million in cash.

Over N60 million was deposited into one of the suspects’ bank account over the course of six months, according to an investigation by the ICPC detectives.

A bakery and a single herbal hospital were among the landed properties that the ICPC also confiscated.

When contacted, ICPC spokesperson Azuka Ogugua stated that the investigation was still ongoing.

She said, “We don’t give updates on our cases to journalists. We don’t do media trials, that was why I didn’t respond (to your several enquiries. How do you now expect me to start disclosing to you? It doesn’t make sense. I can’t tell you; that is wrong, it’s unethical. How can I be telling you the outcome of our investigation?

“When the case goes to court, it will be in the public domain. There is nothing I can discuss, it will be tantamount to media trial.”