The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has said a formerly ‘Wanted Person’, Shehu Koko, who is presently a member of the House of Representatives, is no longer wanted by the Commission.
The ICPC disclosed this via its Twitter handle on Wednesday.
The Commission explained that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who had intervened in the matter, also made Mr Koko available to the ICPC for questioning.
“Honourable Shehu Koko Mohammed is no longer a “Wanted Person” as earlier declared by the Commission.
“Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had in December 2019 pledged to make him available to the Commission, and he did.
“The Commission had on 14th December through a news release and posts on its website and social media accounts made this development public,” ICPC said, in its tweet.
The commission made the announcement in reaction to the recent hearing by the House of Representatives’ NDDC committee, which interrogated the acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Kemebradikumo Pondei, over alleged financial recklessness at the commission.
Mr Koko is a member of the committee that quizzed the alleged extrabudgetary spending by the NDDC. His appearance, however, raised mixed reactions by many Nigerians, questioning the credibility of the House of Reps Committee.
When contacted, the spokesperson to the Commission, Azuka Ogugua, told newsmen in a phone interview that the ICPC is no longer prosecuting Mr Koko for criminal offences.
Asked if the ICPC had pulled down the announcement that declared the lawmaker wanted, Ms Ogugua said “Yes we have already pulled the story down.
“He has declared wanted but he is no longer wanted. We have also put down the announcement of him being wanted on our website,” she added.
Koko, a lawmaker from Kebbi State, representing Koko/Besse Federal Constituency, was on December 14, 2019, declared wanted by the Commission after repeatedly failing to appear before the ICPC over an ongoing investigation against him.
The ICPC accused him alleged fraudulent acquisition of properties, using his position to confer undue advantage on himself while serving as ADC to a former governor of Katsina State.
“Hon. Shehu Koko Mohammed has hereby (been) declared wanted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for his failure to appear before the commission for an ongoing investigation against him.” He was declared wanted for failing to perfect his bail conditions, the ICPC said.
