UPDATE ON NIGERIA POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION FRAUD!
‘Buhari should Suspend Okiro for Corruption’
–Whistle Blower Aaron, Principal Admin, PSC
* Says: “I was Interrogated, Detained for 12 hours at Police Force HQ, Phone lines bugged”
*Laments: ‘Okiro Suspended me from office for Leaking Information, Seized my Salary’
*Why he’s Proceeding to National Industrial Court against PSC
* “Our Chairman innocent of N275million Expenditure”–Ani, Head Press/Publicity, PSC
*PSC Official Breakdown:“Commission receives N350million, spends N792,500 on Telephone Lines/Handsets, N375,000 on Postal/Handbill/ID Cards, N6million–Staff Training for one day; N28million handed out to Consultants, N180 million as Traveling Expenses/Monitoring Elections & N132million kept in Account”
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/CNN iReport NORTH AMERICA & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NAIJA STANDARD
BY all indications, dust seems not to have settled and peace seems far away from Nigeria’s Police Service Commission (PSC) as accusations and counter-accusations of corruption, sleaze and threats have been flying everywhere at the headquarters of this commission in the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. As an update on this scandal, Aaron Kaase, the Principal Administration, PSC is claiming he had been suspended from office, salary-seized, subtle-threat made against his life: just for exposing the rot and corruption allegedly involving Mike Okiro, Chairman, PSC.
He is now begging the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend Okiro, a fo0rmer Inspector General of Police (IGP) from office pending the outcome of the on-going investigation of Nigeria’s Anti-graft agencies, so that his continual being in office would not ‘prejudice’ their discreet, thorough investigation. Now that his cellphone lines are already bugged by police, he feels so scared that he and members of his family are no longer safe, except justice is quickly done.
Aaron says to CNN iReport: “This is also happening in fragrant disobedience to a court motion on notice in a N500,000,000 suit against Mike Okiro, Suprem Ibitomi and the IGP before Justice O.O Goodluck of the FCT high court restraining the respondents not to take any actions until the determination of the suit slated for mention on the June 30, 2015.
“In furtherance to disregard for our laws, Mr. Okiro convened a plenary session of the PSC on the 27th of May 2015 and took a unilateral decision to suspend me from office and backdated it to 21st May 2015, the same day the court motion on notice was served on him and the Commission. I am still amazed as to whether the back dated decision was forged by one Mr. I be, Director Administration and Finance of PSC or whether it was actually a decision of respected members of the Commission
including a retired Supreme Court judge?
“I maintain that when you fight corruption, it fights back and I have seen now that by exposing this corrupt and. Powerful government official, my salary has been stopped through this kangaroo suspension, but I am not deterred. Corruption must be fought headlong and it's not just the responsibility of Mr. President but all citizens holding public office no matter what position they may occupy.
“I also want to submit that if Mr. Okiro is not suspended on that seat, no meaningful investigation may come out of EFCC as the head of the organization, been a serving police officer who is an employee of PSC and benefits from promotion from the agency may not act as he should. A mere Google of the name Mike Okiro brings unpleasant memories of fraud. May God help Nigeria.
Says: “I was Interrogated, Detained for 12 hours at Police Force HQ”
This Whistle blower also confesses that he was allegedly detained in SARS Detention at Force HQ for for 12 hours until Samaritan. He says “I was detained for 12 hours, investigated same time. He said” “On Tuesday and Thursday, we were guest of the police anti tracking and interception unit under the office of the IGP, but detained and housed within the premises of the SARS at old abattoir in Garki, Abuja for 12 hours. The Police are acting on a supposed complaint by Mr. Okiro for allegedly leaking official information and defamation of his character. The question here is, with the Freedom of information act now in place, is there anything like the Secrets Oath? And what is defamation when there is an official and signed petition against you before the anti graft agencies?
‘Okiro after me for Leaking his Corruption publicly’
Aaron explains: “As a fallout to my letters accussing Mr. Mike Okiro, Chairman Police Service Commission of fraud(419) and gross corruption which were sent to the EFCC and ICPC which I have
evidence, Mr. Okiro has unleashed the Nigeria Police force on me and my colleague Raymond Amase.
“This is also happening in fragrant disobedience to a court motion on notice in a N500,000,000 suit against Mike Okiro, Suprem Ibitomi and the IGP before Justice O.O Goodluck of the FCT high court restraining the respondents not to take any actions until the determination of the suit slated for mention on the 30/6/2015. In furtherance disregard for Nigerian laws, Okiro convened a plenary session of
the PSC on the 27th of May 2015 and took a unilateral decision to suspend me from office and backdated it to 21st May 2015, the same day the court motion on notice was served on him and the Commission. I am still amazed as to whether the back dated decision was forged by one Mr. I be, Director Administration and Finance of PSC or whether it was actually a decision of respected members of the Commission”including a retired Supreme Court judge?
“ I maintain that when you fight corruption, it fights back and I have seen now that by exposing this corrupt and. Powerful government official, my salary has been stopped through this kangaroo suspension, but am not deterred. Corruption must be fought headlong and it's not just the responsibility of Mr. President but all citizens holding public office no matter what position they may occupy.
“ I also want to submit that if Mr. Okiro is not suspended on that seat, no meaningful investigation may come out of EFCC as the head of the organization, been a serving police officer, an employee of PSC one who benefits from promotion from the agency and the outcome may be tainted. A mere Google of the name Mike Okiro brings unpleasant memories of fraud. May God help Nigeria. By Monday, I will be proceeding with my lawyer to National Industrial court to challenge my phantom suspension.”
'Mike Okiro is Innocent of Any Allegation or N175million Expenditure'-PSC
Ikechukwu Ani, PSC, Head/Publicity, in an electronic mail sent to CNN iReport stated that Chairman, PSC is innocent and knew nothing about the allegation being bandied around by Aaron. He explained that PSC received only N350million, so far disbursed a whooping sum of N217,388,154, remaining a total of N132,611,845.99 kept in PSC Account.
SEE BREAKDOWN: ● Amount Received -
N350,000,000.00
● Expenditures
i. DTA and Traveling expenses for Staff for the
Monitoring exercise
- N180,957,000.00
ii. DTA for Staff Training for one day - N6,902,000.00
iii. Payments to Consultants -
N28,361,654.01
iv. Telephone lines and Handsets for Staff -
N792,500.00
v. Poster/handbills/ID Cards -
N375,000.00
Total - - -
*N217,388,154*
Balance - - -
*N132,611,845.99*
# Surely, CNN iReport shall keep the world updated on this sensitive case as a litmus test for Buhari's administration.
*RE: PETITION AGAINST HON. CHAIRMAN POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION*
The attention of the Police Service Commission has been drawn to a
frivolous petition against its Chairman, Sir (Dr.) Mike Mbama Okiro, a
retired Inspector General of Police and published in some online
publications. The petition allegedly sent to the Economic And Financial
Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other
Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), was signed by Mr. Aaron Kaase, a
Principal Administrative Officer in the Press and Public Relations Unit of
the Commission.
In the alleged petition, Mr. Kaase levelled series of false and malicious
accusations against the person of the Hon. Chairman and further distributed
the petition to some online publications obviously with intent to embarrass
and ridicule the Hon. Chairman.
The Commission would have ignored these publications as they were mere
tissues of lies, but for the need to put the record straight, disabuse the
minds of innocent Nigerians and protect the integrity of both the
Commission and its Hon. Chairman.
The Commission’s official position on the petition is hereby presented
below:
a. We confirm that as a build up to the 2015 General Elections, the
Commission relying on provisions of its Establishment Act, sought for
funding from various sources but received only the sum of N350 million from
a source for the training of Monitors for the exercise and monitoring of
the conduct of Policemen deployed for election duties during the
elections. This was not the first time the Commission was engaging in this
exercise as it had previously monitored Police conducts since 2003 General
Elections. The Commission sought and received approval from the Bureau of
Public Procurement to engage experts/consultants to train the staff of the
Commission and other stakeholders it intended to deploy on the monitoring
exercise.
b. We note that although the Commission had initially scheduled
trainings in Lagos for Staff and other auxiliary personnel such as NYSC
members, IT students, Policemen and some Members of the Police Community
Relations Committee that were to be deployed in the South West for the
exercise and the same for Kano for those to be deployed to the North and
Abuja for the intended remaining Monitors for the effective coverage of 774
Local Government Areas of the country. It could not go ahead with the plan
because the approval from Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) came late. We
received BPP approval on 23/3/2015 while the Staff was billed to depart to
their states of deployment on 25/3/2015. Therefore the Staff could only be
trained for one day i.e. 24/3/2015 on what to do, expect and what their
duties should be.
c. The Staff strength of the Commission is 387 excluding National Youth
Corps Members and IT personnel. But the issue is that the Commission had
earlier intended to source for auxiliary staff to assist it monitor the
exercise for wider and effective coverage.
d. We want to put it on record that there was no expenditure of the sum
of N275, 525, 000 for the training of the Commission’s staff for the
Monitoring exercise. There was no way the Commission could have invested
N275, 525,000 on training alone that does not include the payment of Duty
Tour Allowances, travel allowances and other benefits to Staff for the
exercise itself. It should also be noted that the expenditures were drawn
from the N350 million received by the Commission. As at today the
Commission still has a balance of N133,641,795.49 in its special account
for the exercise.
A break-down of the expenditures is as follows:
● Amount Received -
N350,000,000.00
● Expenditures
i. DTA and Traveling expenses for Staff for the
Monitoring exercise
- N180,957,000.00
ii. DTA for Staff Training for one day - N6,902,000.00
iii. Payments to Consultants -
N28,361,654.01
iv. Telephone lines and Handsets for Staff -
N792,500.00
v. Poster/handbills/ID Cards -
N375,000.00
Total - - -
*N217,388,154*
Balance - - -
*N132,611,845.99*
All the payments were made into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
This is verifiable. The balance of N132,611,845.99 is in the bank account
of the Commission. The Chairman has not touched any Kobo of the money.
This is also verifiable.
e. The Commission organised a one day training programme for its Staff
which involved all the personnel deployed for the monitoring of Police
conduct during the elections. Payments made for this training covered only
one day. It can be verified.
f. The allegation that the Hon. Chairman has severally collected money
under the pretext of travelling abroad for official duties without doing so
is patently false and actionable.
g. The Chairman has also not used any Special Assistant nor Personal
Assistant to defraud the government as there are laid down rules guiding
the engagement of such aides which the Commission has followed religiously
till date.
h. We consider the petition by Mr. Aaron as fictitious, frivolous and an
affront on the Public Service Rules which clearly provides procedures for
an aggrieved staff to pursue his/her grievance. The Commission is
presently looking into the rules and will surely allow the law to take its
course.
The Commission considers these allegations very serious and has therefore
requested the appropriate agencies to investigate them for the benefit of
Nigerians.
Aaron Kaase is not a whistle blower, but a drowning Criminal. As Protocol
Officer for the Commission before his redeployment to the Press and Public
Relations Unit, he defrauded somebody of the sum of One Million Naira (N1m)
under the pretext of securing a USA visa for him in October 2014. The
matter was reported to Zone 7 Police Headquarters in FCT Abuja. Aaron was
arrested, detained and finally charged to court and remanded in Kuje
Prisons (See Saturday Vanguard May 16, 2015 page 6 captioned *“PSC protocol
officer arraigned for cheating”,* also Leadership, May 16 2015 page 8).
Based on this Aaron Kaase was written a letter dated 21st May, 2015
suspending him from duty in accordance with Rule No. 030406 of the Public
Service Rules.
Aaron Kaase’s false and malicious accusations against the Hon. Chairman of
the Police Service Commission was his futile way of grabbing a non existing
fact to get back at the Commission and the Staff for suspending him from
duty over his criminal escapades.
*Ikechukwu Ani*
Head, Press and Public Relations
26th May, 2015.
