Director-General of Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Dr Moddibo Kawu is in hot soup as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has began an investigation into the alleged N2.5 billion fraud levelled against him and other top officials of the commission.

In a statement by the ICPC, the spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, said; “The Presidency in 2016, released N10bn to the Ministry of Information and Culture for the digital switch-over programme which entails migration of telephone lines from analogue to digital platforms and a White Paper was issued directing that the process be specifically handled by government-affiliated companies.”

“Based on the guidelines provided by the White Paper, two companies were nominated to handle the process, one of which was ITS, an affiliate of the Nigerian Television Authority. N1.7bn was released to it as seed grant for the commencement of the switch-over. However, the ICPC through investigation discovered that the process was fraught with alleged corrupt practices.”

“The money was paid into the Zenith Bank account of Pinnacle Communications Limited in May/June 2017 for the programme. The NBC DG during interactions with the commission could not justify why the government White Paper was flouted leading to the release of money to an unqualified company. The Managing Director of PCL, Dipo Onifade, during interrogation confirmed the release of the fund to the company but could not justify that the money was used for the purpose of digital switch-over.”

“The commission through investigation discovered several suspicious transfers of a large sum of money from the account of the company into the bank accounts of several organisations and individuals. It found out that N100m was paid into the personal bank account of Onifade in Zenith Bank, which he claimed was for legal services.”

“Also investigation revealed that another N450m was transferred into the account of Sabdat Investment Limited, a Bureau de Change, which then converted the money into dollars and handed it over to the Chairman of PCL, Mr Lucky Omoluwa, in his Kaduna residence.”