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 Attang were being withdrawn to enable the CCB conclude further investigations on the matter.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.