CSNAC Petitions EFCC To Investigate CCB Chairman Sam Saba Over His Withdrawal Of Case Against Mrs. Uzoma Attang

CSNAC, the Civil Society Network Against
Corruption, has petitioned the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to
investigate Sam Saba, Chairman of the Code of
Conduct Bureau, for obstruction of justice in the
trial of Mrs. Uzoma Attang at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal for her part in the Police
Pensions Fund scam.
Mrs. Attang, a powerful Director of Finance and
Accounts in the Federal Civil Service who also
has strong ties in the presidency, is being
prosecuted for criminal breach of trust and
conspiracy involving the sum of N29.8b in the
Fund.
Citing the recent court order secured by the
EFCC to freeze Mrs. Attang’s assets and bank
accounts in connection with the case, CSNAC
noted that in September 2012, Mrs. Attang
escaped trial before the Code of Conduct
Tribunal in a suspicious manner.
“She had been scheduled to be tried at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal by the Code of
Conduct Bureau (CCB) on allegations of
acquisition of landed property both in Abuja and
Lagos whose values were not within her salary
as director in the Federal Civil Service could not
have legitimately acquired them,” the petition
stated. “Many of these properties and accounts
were allegedly not declared in her Assets
declaration forms submitted to the Bureau.”
The coalition noted that the trial at the Tribunal
was stalled as a result of an application made
to it by Mr. Saba on August 23, 2012 stating
that the charges against Mrs. Attang were
being withdrawn to enable the CCB conclude
further investigations on the matter.
“SaharaReporters, an online news medium, in
its February 7th, 2103 reported that the
withdrawal was contrary to laid down
procedures for withdrawal of matters from the
tribunal, as it was done without the knowledge
of the Bureau's prosecutor, Mr. Sam Egede,” the
complaint said.
It further pointed out that up till today, there is
no update on “the further investigations”
claimed by Mr. Saba to be the reason for the
withdrawal.
“In the light of the recent court order, we find it
difficult to believe that Mr. Saba did not have
enough evidence to prosecute the matter,” said
CSNAC. “That withdrawal was nothing short of
an obstruction of justice, informed by other
pecuniary inducement.”
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) was
established to deal with corruption by public
servants in breaches of its provision. Where
therefore an officer saddled with the
responsibility of upholding the CCB's mandate
discharges his duty in manner considered
unethical and or compromising, it destroys the
essence of the Bureau. For a successful anti-
corruption fight, there must be horizontal
accountability on the part of institutions of
governance and accountability.
Urging the investigation of Mr. Saba, CSNAC
declared that the inefficient and compromised
approach of the CCB in the fight against
corruption encourages impunity and
embarrassing corruption in the civil and public
service in the country.
It would be recalled that on August 23 2013,
exactly one year after the action of Mr. Saba,
CSNAC filed a Freedom of Information request
with the CCB demanding an update on its
alleged investigation of Mrs. Attang, asking why
the bureau has not offered any information as
to its findings or the state of its investigation.
The CCB did not respond to the request.
Text of the petition:
12th September 2013
THE CHAIRMAN
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES
COMMISSION
5 FOMELLA STREET,
OFF ADETOKUNBOH ADEMOLA CRESCENT,
WUSE 11, ABUJA.
Dear Sir,
PETITION TO INVESTIGATE CHAIRMAN OF
CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU, MR. SAM SABA
FOR COMPLICITY IN THE MATTER OF MRS.
UZOMA ATTANG.
Civil Society Network Against Corruption
(CSNAC) is a coalition of over hundred and fifty
Anti- corruption organizations whose primary
aim is to constructively combat corruption
vigorously and to ensure the effective
monitoring of the various Anti-graft agencies in
its activities in the fight against corruption and
to enthrone transparency, accountability,
probity, and total commitment in the fight to
eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
We refer to the recent court order secured by
your Commission to freeze the assets and bank
accounts of Mrs. Uzoma Attang who is being
prosecuted by the for criminal breach of trust
and conspiracy involving the sum of N29.8b in
the uncovered police pension scam.
Mrs. Attang is a serving director of finance and
accounts in the Federal Civil Service and had
previously escaped trial before the Code of
Conduct Tribunal last September in a suspicious
manner. She had been scheduled to be tried at
the Code of Conduct Tribunal by the Code of
Conduct Bureau (CCB) on allegations of
acquisition of landed property both in Abuja and
Lagos whose values were not within her salary
as director in the Federal Civil Service could not
have legitimately acquired them. Many of these
properties and accounts were allegedly not
declared in her Assets declaration forms
submitted to the Bureau.
The trial at Tribunal was stalled as a result of
an application made by the Chairman of the
Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. Sam Saba to the
Code of Conduct Tribunal. The application
dated 23rd August 2012 stated that the charges
against Mrs. Attang were being withdrawn to
enable the CCB conclude further investigations
on the matter. Sahara Reporters, an online
news medium, in its February 7th, 2103
reported that the withdrawal was contrary to
laid down procedures for withdrawal of matters
from the tribunal, as it was done without the
knowledge of the Bureau's prosecutor, Mr. Sam
Egede.
Until the date of writing this letter, there still is
no update on “the further investigations”
claimed to be the reason of the withdrawal.
In the light of the recent court order, we find it
difficult to believe that Mr. Saba did not have
enough evidence to prosecute the matter. That
withdrawal was nothing short of an obstruction
of justice, informed by other pecuniary
inducement.
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) was
established to deal with corruption by public
servants in breaches of its provision. Where
therefore an officer saddled with the
responsibility of upholding the CCB's mandate
discharges his duty in manner considered
unethical and or compromising, it destroys the
essence of the Bureau. For a successful anti-
corruption fight, there must be horizontal
accountability on the part of institutions of
governance and accountability.
We are therefore by this petition requesting that
the EFCC cause an investigation of Mr. Sam
Saba on his role in the discontinuance of Mrs.
Attang trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, in
line with powers of the Commission. The
inefficient and compromised approach of the
CCB in the fight Against Corruption and integrity
in office currently encourages impunity and
embarrassing spate of corruption in the civil and
public service in the country.
We look forward to your quick response in this
matter.
Yours Sincerely
Olanrewaju Suraju
Chairman, CSNAC.