Linus Asuquo, a professor, appeared alongside three others, accused of unlawfully awarding public contracts valued in the tens of millions of naira.
A Former Director-General of the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Jos, Linus Asuquo, on Tuesday appeared before the Federal High Court in the Plateau State capital to face corruption charges.
Mr Asuquo, a professor, who appeared alongside three others, was accused of unlawfully awarding public contracts valued in the tens of millions of naira.
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Justice Dorcas Agishi presided over the proceedings, with defendants including Okonkwo Thaddeus Anthony, Etim James Amana, and two corporate entities--Valentino Resources Limited and MIS Software Nigeria Limited.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) charged the defendants on 10 counts, including abuse of office, reckless contract awards, approval of payments without due process, and money laundering.
The charges cite violations of the Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act (Cap P39, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to the prosecution, Mr Asuquo allegedly committed the offences during his tenure as NMDC's Director-General and CEO between February and October 2022.
The charges specify that in October 2022, the former DG approved a payment of N51,514,484.56 to Armada Multi-United Co. Ltd for an electric crucible furnace and accessories, despite claims that the company had defaulted on performance.
Prosecutors alleged that he subsequently approved the same contract at a higher sum of N58,999,400.37, in violation of procurement regulations, and authorised full payment without securing the mandatory performance bond.
Earlier in February 2022, Mr Asuquo allegedly approved N16,579,656.71 to Valentino Resources Limited for the procurement and installation of fettling facilities, despite the contractor's purported failure to perform.
The prosecution asserted that he knowingly took possession of funds derived from unlawful activity, punishable under the Money Laundering Act.
Etim Amana and MIS Software Nigeria Limited face separate allegations for failing to execute a 2019 public contract for the supply, installation, training, and commissioning of an Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer for NMDC.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty when charges were read.
Justice Agishi granted each bail of N25 million with one surety of equivalent value, stipulating that sureties must own landed property within the court's jurisdiction.
The judge ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports as he adjourned the trial to 24 February for commencement.
The arraignment has sparked renewed scrutiny of procurement practices in the public sector.
A 2024 report by the Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN) had underscored the gravity of the problem, revealing that procurement fraud alone accounts for 70 percent of total public sector corruption in Nigeria.
PRADIN urged the federal government to immediately constitute the National Council for Public Procurement, as mandated under Part 1, Section of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007.
"Despite the huge investments and resources in the fight against corruption - human and materials - over the years, the wastage continues and corruption, particularly in high places, is on the increase," Mohammed Attah, PRADIN's national coordinator, told a gathering of civil society organisations and media practitioners in Abuja on 5 July 2024.
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The Public Procurement Act (PPA), enacted in 2007, aims to overhaul Nigeria's procurement system, introducing a standardised framework for transparency, accountability, and competitiveness.
Central to this reform was the establishment of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), an independent regulatory body tasked with enforcing the Act.
Yet, despite its noble intentions, implementation has been fraught with challenges.
Corruption in procurement--through bribery, embezzlement, and nepotism--remains pervasive, with politically connected individuals often securing contracts over more qualified candidates.
These practices, according to Igwe et al. (2021), continue to undermine the integrity of public procurement and the objectives of the PPA.
