“We didn’t arrest D’banj, he honored our invitation” – ICPC
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC in a press release, denied reports of arresting D’banj, claiming that the singer “simply honored their invitation.”
Oladapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj was reportedly arrested and detained, Tuesday, by the anti-graft agency, over fraud-related offences.
He was accused of conniving with some corrupt government officials to divert hundreds of thousands of naira earmarked by the Nigerian government for the N-Power project, an empowerment programme set up by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016, to address youth unemployment and increase social development.
D’banj alongside the corrupt government officials was said to have introduced ghost beneficiaries into the payroll of the funds, and the monies were later traced to accounts associated with the singer.
Reacting to reports of the arrest, the ICPC in a statement said,
“In line with its mandate, the Commission had received numerous petitions on the diversion of N-Power funds running into billions of naira following the approval and release of such funds to the beneficiaries by the Federal Government. Many N-Power beneficiaries had complained over the non-receipt of the monthly funds in spite of payment by the Government.
About 10 persons have been invited by the ICPC over the last few months in connection with the N-Power fraud, and have been granted administrative bail after their detention. Several invitations to Mr. Oladipo Daniel Oyebanjo, to appear before a team of investigators were ignored and not honoured.
Mr. Oyebanjo turned in himself and was taken into custody at the ICPC Headquarters on Tuesday, 6th December 2022, and is currently assisting the investigators to unravel the circumstances of the fraud allegations by the petitioners.
The investigation will be all-encompassing and also be extended to other collaborators of the fraud and the banks where the beneficiaries’ accounts are domiciled.
The press release becomes necessary to set the record straight in view of the reports awash in the media. The investigation is ongoing and the Commission prefers not to preempt its outcome and also avoid the frenzy of a media trial”.