In a startling revelation, Okoi Obono-Obla, the suspended Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), has disclosed significant allegations of corruption within the former administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking in an interview with The Sun, Obono-Obla detailed how key actors within the Buhari administration allegedly misappropriated funds recovered from public officials. Furthermore, he accused these officials of obstructing efforts to reclaim government properties illicitly acquired by high-profile figures.
Obono-Obla provided specific instances of corruption, including the discovery of $2 billion and 850 million in gold bars at the residence of a minister from the Goodluck Jonathan administration. He also recounted the discovery of 87 brand new armored Mercedes Benz S-Class vehicles and numerous other assets, including three-wheel motorcycles, in the home of a Director of Works in Jabi. Additionally, an N800 million house in the upscale Asokoro area of Abuja was among the seized properties. These revelations, according to Obono-Obla, were part of broader investigations that faced significant resistance from within the Buhari administration.
The former SPIP chairman accused members of Buhari’s inner circle of stifling the anti-corruption campaign, ultimately leading to his suspension. Obono-Obla asserted that his removal was orchestrated to enable corruption to flourish unchecked. He expressed disappointment over the failure of the anti-corruption efforts, emphasizing that corruption continues to be a major driver of insecurity in Nigeria. His account paints a grim picture of the internal battles that compromised the integrity of the anti-corruption initiatives.
Obono-Obla also addressed his decision to leave Nigeria, explaining that his life was in danger due to the sensitive nature of his investigations. He cited specific threats and dangerous circumstances that compelled him to go underground. This move was a direct consequence of the perilous environment created by his anti-corruption work, highlighting the severe risks faced by those challenging entrenched corrupt practices. His experiences underscore the complex and dangerous nature of fighting corruption in Nigeria.
He said: At first, I left the country, to be candid because my life was endangered. I did a lot of dangerous investigations. For instance, $2 billion was recovered from the house of a minister in (Goodluck) Jonathan’s government in Wuse, Abuja, by a team from the Department of State Security Service (DSS).