President Buhari sacks Obono-Obla for certificate forgery, abuse of office

 

• University law degree may be withdrawn
• May be stopped from practicing law

 

BY OUR EDITOR

President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla.

The Presidency on its twitter handle announced that the suspension of Obla was with immediate effect to allow the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) conclude investigation on him.

But a competent Presidency source, however, told journalists on condition of anonymity on Wednesday that Obono-Obla had been sacked. The source emphatically stated that the sack letter had been delivered to the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata.

Media reports hinged Obono-Obla’s sack on multiple factors based on petitions and allegations of fraud, abuse of office and certificate forgery. The top government source said the Federal Government might ask the University of Jos to withdraw Obono-Obla’s Law degree while the Nigerian Law School might also be directed to bar him from practising as a lawyer.

These are apart from the criminal prosecution that he might be subjected to, based on his alleged illegal financial dealings said to have been uncovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.

The source said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Okoi Obono-Obla, the head of the assets recovery panel.

“The letter conveying his sack was delivered to the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Obono-Obla’s supervising ministry.

“He may himself face criminal prosecution on matters related to his alleged financial dealings, as uncovered by the ICPC upon investigation.

“He may, in addition, face prosecution with regard to his academic credentials, specifically the WAEC certificate issue.

“Government may ask the University of Jos to withdraw his Law degree and the Nigerian Law School to debar him from practice.”

When contacted on the telephone, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said he had not been briefed on the issue.

Shehu asked that enquiries be directed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

PUNCH reports that attempts made to speak with Obono-Obla failed as his telephone line indicated that it was switched off.

However, another Presidency source, who confirmed the development, told journalists that Obono-Obla’s activities and conduct had been under scrutiny in the Presidency for some time.

While on suspension, the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, was said to have been asked to take over the leadership of the five-man panel in acting capacity.

The source said, “The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister had earlier recommended to the Presidency that a thorough investigation be conducted into the allegations of forgery levelled against Obono-Obla while also suspending him from office.