Oladapo Oyebanji, better known by his stage name D’banj, was arrested on Tuesday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for allegedly diverting N-Power funds while working with some government officials.
In the meantime, a source from the humanitarian ministry said that senior government figures have been utilizing friends to siphon money from the social intervention programs under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“In the past four years, officials of the Buhari administration have added 70,000 names to N-Power.
The insider continued, “The bogus list costs Nigeria N2.1 billion per year while original N-Power candidates are not paid.”
According to information obtained, Sadiya Farouq, the minister in charge of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, has been attempting to stop some of the programs funded by the social investment program of the Nigerian government.
N-Power is a program for youth empowerment that the Nigerian government sponsors as part of the Social Investment Program (SIP).
Home Grown School Feeding, Tradermoni, Marketmoni, and the Conditional Cash Transfer in the country’s 36 states are other programs included by the plan.
D’banj is being looked into for fraud related to the program, according a statement made on Wednesday by Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, the ICPC spokeswoman.
“In line with its mandate, the commission had received numerous petitions on the diversion of N-Power funds running into billions of naira following the approval and release of such funds to the beneficiaries by the Federal Government. Many N-Power beneficiaries had complained over the non-receipt of the monthly funds in spite of payment by the Government.
“About 10 persons have been invited by the ICPC over the last few months in connection with the N-Power fraud, and have been granted administrative bail after their detention. Several invitations to Mr. Oladipo Daniel Oyebanjo, to appear before a team of investigators were ignored and not honoured.
“Mr. Oyebanjo turned in himself and was taken into custody at the ICPC Headquarters on Tuesday, 6th December, 2022, and is currently assisting the investigators to unravel the circumstances of the fraud allegations by the petitioners.
“The investigation will be all-encompassing and also be extended to other collaborators of the fraud and the banks where the beneficiaries’ accounts are domiciled.”
However, D’banj refuted the accusations in a statement released on Wednesday through Maryam El-Yakub Musa, Esq., Asst. Team Head, Litigation, LAW CORRIDOR, and he pleaded with the public not to be misled by the “media trial.”
D’banj’s legal counsel brought up a few issues, noting that it was to clear the record. They said: “It is instructive to state foremost that the report concerning the arrest and detention of Mr. Daniel Oladapo Oyebanjo is misconceived, malicious, and prejudicial to the justice system anywhere in the world and we would advise the general public to be well guided.
“We acknowledge the fact that the ICPC is currently investigating allegations of diversion of N-POWER funds as already stated by the Commission and we continue to hold the expectation that the Commission will stay the course of professionalism in this matter.
“For the record, D’banj has no such contractual or incidental relationship whatsoever with any group or persons within or outside government in relation to the disbursement, operations, access or control of the operation of any government fund through an agency or its subsidiaries.”
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