A non-governmental organisation, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to shield any employee of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) from investigation and prosecution over allegations of corruption.
Staff members of the agency embarked on a nationwide strike last month, complaining of high-handedness in the commission.
The Secretary, Association of Civil Servants of Nigeria, NLRC unit, Mrs Anastesia Ijobo, had also urged the EFCC to probe what in her opinion amounted to suspicious transactions.
The EFCC had invited some staff of the commission for interrogation, but no charges have been filed. Director General Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila was not among those interrogated.
GCIN, in a statement by its Director in-charge of Welfare and Logistics, Mr. Akumabi Ojogbane, said no action has been taken on its June 6, 2020 petition to Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Senator George Akume, EFCC and other relevant bodies.
It urged the EFCC to ensure that no one named in the petition is shielded by virtue of their connections in government.
The commission’s head of public affairs, Magnus Ekechukwu, could not be reached yesterday for comments. He did not pick his call or respond to text messages sent to him.
But speaking during the picketing of the commission by the staff members last month, he denied the allegations against the NLRC management, wondering how over N2billion could be diverted in this era of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
He denied any fund diversion or mismanagement under Gbajabiamila’s leadership, who he said is working to reposition the agency.
Ekechukwu noted that the Buhari administration has zero-tolerance for corruption and will not spare any corrupt official.