President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, September 17, dissolved the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) as currently constituted by Okoi Obono-Obla.
YaahooJournalist reports that this was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by The Special Adviser to President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
The statement said the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has been directed to immediately take over all outstanding investigations and other activities of the SPIP.
According to the statement, “The panel was established in August 2017 by the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN to investigate specifically mandated cases of corruption, abuse of office and similar offences by public officers,” he said.
”President Buhari thanks all members of the dissolved panel for their services.
”The President looks forward to receiving the final Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) report on the ongoing investigations of the dissolved panel’s Chairman.”
YaahooJournalist recalls that Obono-Obla was sacked as the chairman of the SPIP in August, and asked to submit himself to the ICPC for interrogation over allegations of forgery and financial impropriety.
Obono-Obla refused to concede to the ICPC but sued the anti-corruption agency instead.
YaahooJournalist understands that Obono-Obla alleged that he was being persecuted for stepping on powerful toes while doing his job.
Before, sack, Obono-Obla was investigating some officials of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF).