Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman finally honours EFCC invitation on corruption allegations

Danladi Umar alleged demanded N10 million bribe and collected N1.8 million from a suspect.
The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, has finally honoured the invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The tribunal chairman was invited to answer various corruption allegations against him, including allegedly demanding N10 million bribe from a suspect.
The Head Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, had confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that Mr. Umar failed to honour an invitation by the EFCC last Thursday.
The commission had on March 18 sent an invitation to Mr. Umar; requesting that he appears before the commission on Thursday, March 27.
The tribunal boss had also failed to honour a December 30 invitation on the corruption allegations.
Mr. Uwujaren, however, told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that Mr. Umar finally honoured the invitation on Saturday.
He did not state the reason why the tribunal boss appeared on Saturday and not Thursday that he was invited to answer questions on the allegations.
The allegations
Mr. Umar had allegedly demanded a N10 million bribe from a retired Comptroller of Customs, Rasheed Taiwo, who is being prosecuted at the CCT for allegedly failing to declare his asset while in office.
The CCT is primarily charged with the task of ensuring that public officials do not engage in corrupt activities.
Mr. Taiwo told the EFCC that he paid part of the bribe, N1.8 million, to the chairman of CCT through the latter’s personal assistant.
However, aside from the alleged bribe demand and collection, Mr. Umar is also being investigated for maladministration and corruption at the CCT.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how three staff of the tribunal – its accountant, Shotunde Adeyinka, and two administrative officers, Lucky Eronlan and Johnson Owopetu – who were transferred out of Abuja to Ondo, Bauchi and Katsina states respectively, under controversial circumstances, had petitioned the EFCC on Mr. Umar corrupt practises and his highhandedness.
The trio copied in the Presidency, CCT, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, the National Judicial Council, NJC, the Senate, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Attorney General of the Federation on their petition.
In their petition, the trio listed a barrage of corruption allegations, including awarding contracts without due process, making full contract payments to contractors instead of mobilization fees, and dysfunctional appointments and promotion without board approval or regards to federal character.
There was also an alleged disappearance of N24 million belonging to the tribunal that was allegedly found in the Wuse Zone 5 residence of Mr. Umar’s late predecessor.
The seeming corruption at the CCT may not have started with Mr. Umar. His late predecessor, Murtala Sanni, was also indicted of corruption.
Mr. Umar, on assumption of duty, set up a committee to investigate Mr. Sanni for perceived corrupt practices.  The committee found late Mr. Sanni culpable of awarding contracts to pseudo contractors amongst other corrupt acts.
The committee recommended that stolen monies be retrieved from Mr. Sanni’s family while all other officials who benefited from the corruption be sanctioned.
It is uncertain if the CCT implemented the recommendations as none of its indicted officials is being prosecuted.
The EFCC said its investigations are ongoing on the matter.

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