The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has interrogated another set of aides of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, over their alleged involvement in a N8.5 billion contract scam.
Their questioning, according to sources within the commission, was sequel to contents of the written statements made by some six commissioners earlier grilled a fortnight ago.
The new set, questioned at the commission’s Abuja head office on Monday, were eight top civil servants in the state Ministries of Agriculture and Natural Resources and that of Commerce.
Six commissioners in the Alao-Akala administration - Bayo Bankole (Finance), Mukaila Aborode (Environment and Water Resources), Muslim Oyedemi (Works and Transport), Kunle Ishola (Agriculture), Nureni Adeniran (Education) and Kola Balogun (Commerce and Industry) - were guests the anti-graft agency’s head office, Abuja, a fortnight ago where they were invited to untie some riddles concerning the contract.
They reportedly made statements that implicated the new set of suspects who were questioned on Monday.
As part of their bail conditions, the former commissioners were at the Ibadan office of the ICPC, where they were mandated to report every Monday till investigations were concluded on the matter.
It was also learnt that their international passports have been seized to prevent them from travelling outside the country while the commission concludes its findings on the matter.
Armed with files and other documents as required of them, the eight former functionaries were said to have arrived the ICPC headquarters on Monday morning to relate their side of stories in the alleged scam.
Up until late evening yesterday, there were no indications that the government employees were released by the commission.
Monday’s questioning was another in the series conducted by the ICPC following the petitions filed by some individuals under the name Concerned Citizens of Oyo State to raise questions on the manner of awarding the contract and its execution.
The said group reportedly forwarded five different petitions to the commission over the same issues, accusing the affected former public servants of abuse of office.
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