The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has revealed that it has commenced the investigation of four governors over alleged misappropriation of public funds and abuse of office.
The statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Mr. Fola Olamiti, said that this this was disclosed by the chairman of the commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta on a programme on Splash FM in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Nta, however, had refused revealing the name of the governors, for fear that their investigation would be jeopardised.
The statement had also revealed that some of the operatives of the commission were in Canada for training on forensic investigations on cashless transactions.
“It should be noted that those (governors) invited for questioning are still innocent until prima facie cases are made against them. So, those who have no case to answer will be allowed to go as freemen with their image intact.
“Since 2011, shortly after the Central Bank of Nigeria announced cashless transaction, we have sent some of our officials to Canada to be trained in forensic investigations. I have gone into negotiations with Canada and United States for their governments to give more opportunities to ICPC officials to be trained in that field,” the statement quoted the chairman as saying.
Nta added that the commission was in collaboration with stakeholders to check internet fraud in the country, adding that that their effort at ridding the country of Internet fraudsters had yielded positive results with the clampdown on four alleged 419 fraudsters known as Yahoo Yahoo boys in Owerri, Imo State, through a joint operation between ICPC and Nigeria Customs Service.
He noted that internet fraud was becoming a major business with a highly technical modus operandi, and that internet fraudsters had even gone as far as setting up a school to train youngsters on how to operate in the illicit business.
Promising that there would not be any hiding place for the Yahoo Yahoo boys, Nta said he would deplore more Internet technology experts to fish out these fraudsters as the ICPC was ready to combat the menace.a