At least 50 contractors, consultants, and government employees are under investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as part of their ongoing scrutiny of projects carried out by federal lawmakers.
The ICPC shared a report detailing their findings on their verified X account.
According to the agency, the exercise was carried out to investigate fraudulent procurement practices in the award of contracts for the Zonal Intervention Projects, otherwise known as constituency projects, executed under the 2019, 2020, and 2021 budget years during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
It further disclosed that about 200 bank accounts used for illegal deals on the projects were also frozen, while over N5.6bn was recovered as cumulative savings for the Federal Government during the exercise. Among those detained for questioning during the probe are legislators, government staff, contractors, and consultants.
However, house of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, clarified that the 10th National Assembly, which is the current legislative body, is not involved in the procurement fraud mentioned in the report.
He explained that the individuals implicated in the ICPC report served between 2019 and 2022, before the tenure of the 10th Assembly. Rotimi emphasized the commitment of the current assembly to transparency and accountability in procurement processes and expressed readiness to support anti-corruption agencies.
The ICPC initiated the project tracking in 2019 due to public dissatisfaction with the implementation of Zonal Intervention Projects, which had received over N100bn in budget allocations since 2000. The fifth phase of tracking focused on 1,377 pre-selected projects, of which 712 were finally chosen across 20 states.
The report reveals cumulative savings of N5.62bn, with cash recoveries, asset recoveries, and project value being the main components. The tracked projects included various sectors such as empowerment, education, water supply, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure spread across different states.
The ICPC identified several infractions during the tracking, including misuse of funds, project abandonment, overpayment, and disparities in project distribution. Many projects intended for community development were found to be avenues for embezzlement and money laundering. The commission emphasized the importance of prosecuting those involved to deter future corruption.
Civil society organizations, like the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria and the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, have called for thorough prosecution of implicated lawmakers and contractors to ensure accountability and serve as a deterrent to others involved in corrupt practices.