Musa Simon Reef
5 October 2008
Seven months after the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) commenced investigations into controversial lodgment of N558 million police funds in a personal fixed deposit account, the anti-graft agency is asking former Inspector General Of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to explain the whereabouts of some N16 million.
The fund in question was donated to the Nigeria Police by the Bayelsa state government in 2006 when Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was governor of the oil-rich state.
According to a source, the sum of N300 million was lodged in a fixed deposit account with WEMA Bank on July 4, 2006, while another N200 million was lodged with Intercontinental Bank on July 10, 2006. Records show that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had directed the police boss, in a letter dated July 12, 2006, to transfer the funds into the accounts of the Police Affairs Ministry. But this was not to be until November 2006, four months after the directive was given by Obasanjo
A source at ICPC told Sunday Trust that attempts by investigators to get the former IG to appear before the commission defend himself on some of the allegations had proved impossible, as the address given by Ehindero when he was granted bail earlier has proved to be non-existent.
The source told our reporter that when letters were sent to the address inviting the former IG, the post office returned them on the condition of wrongful address.
"Please, let someone tell him that ICPC has been looking for him and if by the end of this week the invitation does not get to him, the commission shall be forced to declare him as having jumped bail. He needs to make himself available before he is accused of having jumped bail," the source said.
The plan to get the former police boss to explain his role, according to investigations by Sunday Trust, was arrived after investigators discovered that the former police boss had refused to obey a directive to transfer the interest on the money into the account of the Police Affairs Ministry.
"That he did not even inform the Presidency that the money had yielded an interest of N16 million was unfortunate. He ought to have told the Presidency of the true picture of the funds. But he kept quiet and refused to remit the interest to the relevant authorities. So, he needs to come to ICPC and clear certain issues," the source added.
The source confided in our reporter that the ICPC investigators were at a loss as to why the money which was meant for the purchase of police equipment was lodged in a fixed deposit account and was only released in November 2006 after the said money had yielded the sum of N16 million as interest.
Also to face questioning, according to the source, is one Mr. J. O. J Obaniyi who was said to be in the know of when the funds were deposited at the banks. A commissioner of police (names withheld) is also to be questioned by ICPC operatives, the source further revealed.
Contacted for comments on the issue, the ICPC Resident Consultant on Media, Mr. Fola Olamiti, told our reporter that he was aware that a letter of invitation was once dispatched to the former IG some months ago but cannot say if the letters were received.
"I am aware that the ICPC dispatched a letter of invitation and I had thought the IG had responded to it. But if he has not responded, I think he should respond," Olamiti said.
All attempts to reach the former IG proved abortive. But Sunday Trust reliably learnt that the former police boss lives in another part of Abuja, different from the address he gave to ICPC.
"I can inform you authoritatively that the former IG lives in this Estate and something must have gone wrong if his letters are addressed to another destination. You know, things get mixed up sometimes and I am sure if the letter is sent to the correct address, the former police boss will certainly get it," the source said.
He, however, turned down a request to give the house number of the IG's residence.
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