- The House committee had received petitions against 39 MDAs for job racketeering
- Committee aims to engage with over 600 MDAs to uncover misconduct in civil service
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has initiated an investigation into the activities of the House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee responsible for examining alleged job racketeering and severe mismanagement within federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. This move comes in response to allegations of bribery involving the probe panel.
The anti-corruption agency announced this development on Friday, stating that the investigation was launched following the receipt of petitions from an online media platform and Yusuf Gagdi, the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on the Investigation of Job Racketeering and Gross Mismanagement in Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has commenced investigation into petitions received from Premium Times and Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committee on the Investigation of Job Racketeering and Gross Mismanagement in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, over bribery allegations against the probe panel,” the spokesperson for the ICPC, Azuka Ogugua wrote in an official note on WhatsApp.
A group of anti-corruption advocates has urged anti-graft agencies to investigate members of the ad hoc committee who are allegedly involved in soliciting money from ministries, departments, and agencies while ostensibly conducting investigations into job racketeering.
A few weeks ago, the committee had announced that it had received petitions against 39 MDAs regarding allegations of job racketeering and various infractions. The Committee’s Chairman, Gagdi, disclosed this during a session of the investigative hearing held at the National Assembly.
He mentioned that some of the implicated MDAs include the Federal Character Commission, the Office of the Head of Service, the Budget Office, IPPIS, and the Federal Civil Service Commission, among others.
Chairman Gagdi further explained that, in accordance with its mandate, the Committee plans to engage with over 600 MDAs to uncover the extent of misconduct within the federal civil service.