The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has arrested suspended chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Okoi Obono-Obla five months after he was declared wanted.
He was on Friday arrested in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital for charges bordering on forgery and fraud.
Mr Obono-Obla, who was declared wanted by ICPC for allegedly refusing to honour its investigation, was picked up in an undisclosed location in the Federal Capital Territory.
The former special assistant to the president on prosecution is undergoing medicals at ICPC headquarters in Abuja.
Confirming the development, ICPC spokesperson, Rasheedah Okodowa, said Mr Obono-Obla was arrested Friday afternoon.
She said; “Yes, he is in our custody. Mr Obono-Obla was arrested a few hours ago in Abuja. Details will be communicated to the public.”
The spokeswoman, however, declined comment on whether Mr Obono-Obla was undergoing medicals, saying the agency has its own procedures for taking suspects into its custody.”
President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019, suspended Mr Obono-Obla from office with immediate effect after many accusations against him which included abuse of office.
In a letter dated, August 14, 2019, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Mr Obono-Obla was accused of “falsification of records and financial impropriety.”
The letter read in part; “I write to convey the directive of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for your suspension from office as Chairman, Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property with immediate effect.
“This suspension shall subsist until the conclusion of the ICPC investigations into cases of alleged falsification of records and financial impropriety against your person.
“You are required by this instruction to strictly observe and comply with the provisions of PSR 030405 (a-c) of the Public Service Rules. For the avoidance of doubt, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, shall be the authority to whom you shall report.”
