The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has quizzed two Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) staff and one from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) – over $3.4billion loan granted to Nigeria by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
The anti-graft agency has also extended invitation to some officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance for interrogation.
It has also retrieved vital documents on the loan, which was meant to finance the budget and to manage COVID-19.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) went to court over what it alleged as “the failure to probe the grim allegations that the $3.4 billion” was missing.
The Nation reports that the investigation of the loan is going on.
It said: “ICPC has launched a comprehensive investigation into the $3.4 billion loan. The commission began the probe after it had reviewed the report of the Auditor-General of the Federation. Our investigators are trying to establish if the cash was missing, diverted or unaccounted for.
“Some CBN and OAGF officials were interviewed and the officials of the Ministry of Finance will be interviewed in the coming (this) week.
“Documents retrieved and statements from the officials of the OAGF revealed that the utilisation of the funds were as directed by the Ministry of Finance.
“Investigation is ongoing into the various approval and utilisation of the funds by the beneficiaries.”
SERAP on Sunday said it has sued President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for not investigating the $3.4 billion loan that was either “missing, diverted or unaccounted for,” adding that its lawsuit was in line with Section 16(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution.
According to SERAP, it sued Tinubu in accordance with articles 5, 9 and 26v of the UN Convention Against Corruption.
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, has been joined in the suit as respondent.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
