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CSOs to ICPC: Prosecute NAHCON Staff who Contested Oyo Guber Election
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related matters Commission (ICPC) has been urged to prosecute, recover salaries and allowances from a staff of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale, who contested the 2023 governorship election in Oyo State.
Mr Akinwale, a NAHCON staff working in its Ilorin Zonal Office, was the Labour Party governorship candidate in Oyo State during the March 2023 elections.
This call was made by a coalition of anti-corruption civil society organisations (CSOs), the Movement for Greater Nigeria and Good Governance (MGNGG), in a statement signed by its Advocacy Director Tokunbo Lasisi and Communications Lead Batool Sahib, and released on Friday in Abuja.
The CSOs also urged the anti-graft agency to investigate and recover all salaries and allowances paid to Mr Akinwale over the years for securing employment into NAHCON allegedly with a fake degree certificate.
The coalition said ICPC should also investigate and sanction the commission for clearly abetting the breach of the Public Service Rules and Presidential Directives because of “ethnicity and favoritism.”
This call is coming few weeks after some concerned staff of NAHCON petitioned the Office of the Head Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) over the same violations by Mr Akinwale.
The staff, this newspaper learned, have vowed to continue mounting pressure until NAHCON top officials complicit in the Akinwale’s case are properly punished. Also, many staff of the commission have signed another petition to ICPC and EFCC, calling for the prosecution of Akinwale and the commission officials who superintended his breach of the public service rules.
The Public Service Rules provide that all civil servants must resign their appointments 30 days to the general election day.
Rule 030423 of the Public Service Rules requires that “Resignation is necessary before seeking elective public office. However, any officer wishing to engage in partisan political activities or seek elective public office shall resign his/her appointment forthwith.”
The CSOs said, “the ICPC, as a matter of urgency, arrest, investigate and prosecute Mr Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale, a staff of NAHCON and governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State in the March 8, 2023 elections.”
The anti-corruption coalition said “ICPC must act quickly to safeguard the sanctity of the Public Service by making Mr Akinwale face the full wrath of the law. Allowing the erring staff to go scot-free like NAHCON is doing, will create a negative precedent among the staff of the commission and beyond.”
The CSOs expressed disappointment over NAHCON’s lacklustre attitude in sanctioning Mr Akinwale, “instead it went ahead to sponsor him to official trips both locally and internationally while he was a candidate of the Labour Party in Oyo State.
In the INEC final list for Governorship and State Assembly Elections published on 4 October 2022, Mr Akinwale presented only a Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) as his only academic qualification.
The MGNGG said this “fraud” must be prosecuted. “By this, Mr Akinwale confirmed the long term allegations that he was employed by NAHCON with a fake degree. For fear of backlash, Mr Akinwale refused to present the fake degree certificate to INEC during the elections. We are calling on ICPC to recover all salaries and allowances paid to him by NAHCON while working with a fake certificate,” the statement said.
The coalition said ICPC “must sanction the hajj commission officials for complicity in the Akinwale saga. This will go a long way in serving as deterrence to other federal agencies who are currently abetting the violations of the Public Service Rules.”
When contacted, Mr Akinwale refused to pick calls nor replied to messages sent to his mobile telephones. NAHCON chairman Zikirullah Kunle Hassan’s official mobile telephone line was busy repeatedly when our correspondent called. He didn’t reply to a message sent to it.
By Our Reporter
The Management of Federal Housing Authority FHA, under the leadership of Hon Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo has asked residents of its estates in Abuja to provide approvals and approved documents and building plans for commercial purposes to the office of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Housing Authority FHA, Abuja forthwith.
A Press statement issued by the management and signed by the Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Chigelu on behalf of the authority directed the submission to be carried out at the Authority’s Head office, Julius Nyerere Crescent, Asokoro , Abuja beginning from Wednesday , 3rd April , 2025.
The directives covers all buildings irrespective of the approval dates , that became expedient , following management discovery of sharp practices by commercial outlets ,as most of this buildings are built either without approval and or in contravention to the granted approval.
Chigelu stated that management discovered that some commercial buildings are in contravention of approval granted them, through alterations in total contravention to the development control regulations of the Authority.
Following the danger posed , management will not allow such negative consequences that will pave way for indiscriminate building collapse, therefore, a controlled demolition was carried out by the authority, with a building with structural defects in March , 2025, on 5th Avenue, Gwarimpa Estate.
Consequently, owners of commercial apartments, which included Hotels , Supermarkets, Hospitals, Schools and Banks including shopping malls through this announcement are expected to submit their approved plans for revalidation.
Management expect strict compliance to this directive, as violators will attract heavy sanctions with authority’s non negotiable stance .
The release further said ..
SPECIAL PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
“The Management of Federal Housing Authority, FHA hereby calls on all owners of commercial properties in FHA Estates in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory to submit their approved building plans to the office of the Managing Director and Chief Executive, at the Authority’s head office, No 26 Julius Nyerere Crescent, Asokoro Abuja from Wednesday, April 3rd, 2025.
“This directive which covers all buildings irrespective of when the approval was given, has become expedient following Management’s discovery that most commercial outlets in these Estates are built without approvals, or developed outside the granted approval.”
” Management has also discovered that some commercial buildings are in contravention of the approval granted them for alteration, in total contravention and disregard to Development Control regulations. ”
“Following the dangers posed by this development, the Management of FHA would not fold its hand to allow this looming disaster to happen. It is to avert the ugly incidence of building collapse that the Authority carried out a controlled demolition exercise of one of its buildings with structural defect on Monday, 24th March. 2025 in 5th Avenue. Gwarinpa estate.”
“Consequently, all owners of commercial outlets: hotels, supermarkets, hospitals, schools, banks, shopping malls etc through this announcement are requested to submit their building approved plans for revalidation. All such buildings must undergo an integrity test.
Strict compliance to this directive is not negotiable as severe sanctions await defaulters. “
By Nahum Sule, Jalingo
The Taraba State Government, in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has successfully intercepted eight trafficked children who were en route to the South East and Cameroon.
In a statement to journalists in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, Mrs. Mary Sinjen, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, revealed that the children had been deceived and transported to various southeastern states in Nigeria.
According to her, the children were trafficked to locations such as Aba, Onitsha, and Imo State under the false pretence that they were orphans.
The interception took place in Gembu, the headquarters of the Sardauna Local Government Area, where it was reported that the traffickers were seeking additional children to abduct.
Mrs. Sinjen affirmed, “Thanks to the prompt response from the Ministry and NAPTIP, eight of the children have been safely returned to Taraba State.
“The primary suspect, Mrs. Patience, along with several of her accomplices, has been apprehended and is currently in custody as legal proceedings commence.
“Search and rescue operations for other trafficked children are ongoing.”
She further emphasised that the state government will not tolerate any unscrupulous individuals who exploit children’s rights for illicit gain.
“This administration is wholly committed to ensuring justice, rehabilitating victims, and enhancing inter-agency collaboration to combat child trafficking,” she stated.
“We urge all residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities, as the welfare and protection of our children is a collective responsibility.”
In the meantime, authorities in Taraba have reiterated the importance of community vigilance and reporting any suspicious activities, stressing that safeguarding children requires a unified effort.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, has assured that all security challenges facing the nation will be effectively addressed by the year’s end.
This statement was made during the launch of attack drones and the demonstration of locally produced bombs, developed by a homegrown technology firm.
The event was attended by security specialists and senior government officials, as General Musa showcased the indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to the audience.
Accompanied by Ajao Adewale, the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, and Caleb Mutfwang, the Governor of Plateau State, General Musa emphasized the ongoing bureaucratic obstacles in acquiring military equipment from abroad.
Governor Mutfwang stressed the urgency for decisive measures against insecurity, calling on leaders to prevent any entity within the nation from possessing military capabilities.
The operational features of the UAVs were also demonstrated, with General Musa expressing satisfaction with this advancement, labeling it a pivotal step in combating insecurity in the country.