CNN EXCLUSIVE : CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA’S POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION!
‘Okiro, Nigeria’s ex–Police Chief after my Life for Exposing his N275Million Fraud’-Aaron, PSC Protocol Head
*Says: ‘I’m being trailed by a Police Stalker, I want the world to know my Situation’
*Confesses: “I’m Ready to Fight Corruption, even if I lose my Life in process’
*Explains: ‘Okiro used Girlfriend, Benue State Agency contacts to collect the contracts’
*Laments: ‘Sets him up at Police Force HQ to be Detained’
*Narrates: ‘My Ordeal in Kuje Prison traumatic, Police pushed aside court ruling’
*PLUS: Why he petition EFCC, ICPC, National Assembly, Nigeria Human Right Commission
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU, CNN iReport NORTH–AMERICA &EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NAIJA STANDARD
AARON Kaase is Head, Protocol, Nigeria’s Police Service Commission, PSC, where he has been working for years and highly respected by his other police-trained colleagues as a ‘man-of-integrity’ due to his hatred for corruption. He is also in charge of press/publicity for PSC, and as such he has direct access to all activities ranging from financial, training, confidentiality regarding the Nigeria Police Force, NPF in entirety. He is running a battle to fight corruption in PSC, and he is facing a stiff opposition from Mike Okiro, Chairman, PSC, and former Inspector General of Nigeria, IGP, whom he allegedly accused swindled a whooping sum of N275million during Nigeria’s recently concluded elections. Enjoy his exclusive interview with CNN iReport below:
CNN iReport: Aaaron, we heard a lot of allegation has been flying around in Nigeria regarding corruption in Nigeria’s Police Service Commission, PSC, can you shed light on this?
That is the truth. I can tell you authoritatively with my position in PSC, I have unhindered access to classified information, secret files and inner workings of the commission. I want the whole world to know that Mike Okiro, Chairman, PSC, a former Inspector General of Police, IGP, have swindled the commission to the tune of N275million which he pocketed in the recently concluded General Elections in Nigeria.
CNN iReport: Can you shed light on this allegation against Okiro?
What happened was: he sent fake bidding contracts to Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, where he deceitfully collected in tranches various sums in N95million, N95million and N85million at three separate intervals. Okiro issued out two PSC letterhead papers bearing Ref.No.PSC: 1499/VOL/111/138 where he requested BPP to approve him by fiat ‘No Objection Issuance’ just for him to carry out his fraudulent. He claimed the money was meant to train 1,000 of PSC employees in Abuja, Kano and Lagos; where as the entire PSC employees are not up to 400. It is a fact that the commission has no office in Lagos and the entire South West, Commission has less than 10 staff members in Kano and it is only shocking Okiro claimed we had up to 1,000 staff members.
In the said letter, Okiro fraudulently claimed he was to carry out training for elections’ thorough conduct and monitoring of Nigeria Police Force, NPF in three separate categories(knowing same to be a lie): He claimed to train 500 participants in our Headquarters (Abuja), 200 participants in our Kano(Out of station staff), and 200 staff participants in Lagos. Whereas, all of these trainings were conduit pipe to defraud Nigeria through PSC. Surprisingly, sighting short-time for the General Elections, BPP speedily approved Okiro’s letter and this Chairman, PSC pocket this money, and no training of sort was carried out except mushroom orientation.
Okiro then used his girlfriend and Benue State contacts to deceitfully win the BPP bidding contracts. Instead of four days approval process constitutionally allowed by BPP for training, Okiro created a-2 hour mock orientation at Northgate Hotels Limited in Maraba, Nasarawa State, instead of Kano. Also using Bobec & Associates run by another friend of his in Abuja, he hurriedly put together a-2 hour training in Oasis Hotel in Maraba, Nasarawa State. Till date, Okiro has refused and failed to refund money granted for the other 3 days in his earlier request letter to BPP.
CNN iReport: Considering the level of insecurity in Nigeria, don’t you think your life and those of your family members may be in danger?
Okiro has been threatening my life, saying he would fight me to the end. Yes, I may be scared that is why I am speaking from a hideout where I went to hide my family members. I have seen how his Special Adviser, SA Media who knows me, my family members and house has been stalking me, following me wherever I go. That was why we have to go into hiding. My life and those of my family members are not safe, as we are now in danger. I have gone to the Federal High Court in Abuja to file for my fundamental rights to movement and life; yet the police threw the court’s decision aside, sending police to search for me all over Nigeria.
CNN iReport: What steps have you taken to petition Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies on this matter?
I have already petitioned Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, ICPC, National Assembly, In-coming administration of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari on this matter.
CNN iReport: Why did you not petition Out-going President Goodluck Jonathan on this matter?
I did not petition President Goodluck Jonathan because I know Okiro is very close to him. Don’t forget that Okiro is Chairman, Security Committee for Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a party that he belongs with President Jonathan.
CNN iReport: You will agree with us that when you fight corruption, corruption fights back
Yes, I know. That is why I am ready to fight corruption in Nigeria. Even though I loose my life in the process, I am ready. The world should know the situation I am going through, so that they know the person responsible for it. He dragged me to Magistrate Court and lied that I took N1million from him sometime ago. I was locked up in Kuje prison under a very dehumanizing condition just for exposing corruption…
CNN iReport: Are there other traps you hear are being put in place to silence you?
I have been invited again by Nigeria’s Police Force Headquarters in Abuja for investigation and interrogation by Monday, 05/25/15. I am using this global platform to inform the whole world that should anything bad happen to me or I am detained or sacked, the entire international community should please come to my rescue.
