President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla.
He also ordered an immediate investigation into accusations that he abused the mandate of his office.
In a letter directing Obla’s suspension on Wednesday, President Buhari noted that there were a number of cases against Mr. Obono-Obla.
“President Buhari has directed the suspension from office, with immediate effect, of the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Mr Okoi Obono-Obla,” a statement from the Presidency Twitter account read.
The statement said he shall remain suspended until the investigation by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency is completed.
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“The suspension shall be in effect until the conclusion of ongoing Independent Corrupt Practices Commission investigations into a number of cases relating to Mr. Obono-Obla.”
A top government official had told Chronicle NG that President Buhari is likely to dismiss him afterwards.
According to the Office of the Attorney-General, Obla has been accused on various issues “ranging from abuse of office, intimidation and unauthorized malicious investigations, financial impropriety, administrative misconduct, and allegations of forgery/falsification or records, to mention but a few.”
In fact late last year, the matter of the mandate of the Panel became an issue of judicial interpretation at the Appeal Court in the case of TIJJANI MUSA TUMSAH V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
In that case, the Appeal Court held that the Panel headed by Obla lacks prosecutorial powers and cannot seize properties belonging to anyone or obtain forfeiture orders against any public official.
The court also held that the duty of the Panel upon conclusion of an investigation is to submit its report to the head of government and that the Panel, as against the conduct of the Chairman, cannot act outside its enabling Statute, the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act of 1984.
When confronted with some of his alleged misconduct and other allegations, Obono-Obla pleaded profusely and was made to sign a written undertaking to mend his ways.
However, he abandoned the undertaking and continued to singularly violate the law and regulations.
