Cert. Forgery: Court Okays Probe Of Buhari’s Aide

The Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday held that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has powers to investigate the allegation of certificate forgery against Okoi Obono-Obla, a suspended presidential aide.

Obono-Obla is the suspended Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIP).

The court also dismissed the allegation of abuse of fundamental human rights filed against ICPC by Obono-Obla.

The presiding judge, Justice Nkeonye Maha held that Obono-Obla failed to show how his right was abused or about to be breached following the invitations by ICPC and consequently dismissed the case.

Justice Maha also struck out Obono-Obla’s claim that the commission lacked powers to investigate allegation of certificate forgery for being incompetent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the former SPIP Chairman was arrested by ICPC operatives in March after the commission declared him wanted in October 2019 for repeatedly failing to honour invitations sent to him.

ICPC, while investigating allegations of abuse of office, certificate forgery and fraud amongst others, had wanted Obono-Obla to appear before it to clear his name.

He refused to honour  the invitations which led to his arrest and subsequent detention in the commission’s facilities before being released on bail.

Obono-Obla then approached the court, claiming alleged breach of his fundamental right to dignity of human person and personal liberty.

He also sought the court’s powers to declare that ICPC lacked the powers to investigate him over allegation of certificate forgery.

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