Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) last week raided an alleged ICPC parallel office located at Abonde Road, opposite Elekuro High School, Akanran Road, Olorunshogo, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Nine suspects were arrested and are being interrogated in ICPC Ibadan office in Oyo State. They are: Ilesanmi T. Okunola, Oladipo Barnabas Abiodun, Ogunsanya Ayinla, Akintunde Oluwasogo, Akanbi Oluwole, Omo-Aare Temitope Emmanuel, Odetunde Olamide, Adewuyi Peter and Iyanda Lekan.
The nefarious activities of the impersonators came to light when a female petitioner (name withheld) blew the whistle on their operations for allegedly duping many unsuspecting members of the public.
The petitioner alleged that the operators of this alleged ICPC fake office were in the habit of collecting the sum of N2,000 from complainants before their cases were treated.
Following a sting operation they were arrested in the act. During preliminary interrogation, the alleged fake ICPC officials turned out to be renegades of the National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps (NAVC) whose activities were under suspension on the orders of the Chairman of ICPC in December, 2013.
The alleged ICPC fake office, it was revealed, has been operating unnoticed since 2012.
A Nigerian flag, NAVC flag, one bullet proof vest, 10 wooden guns, 58 case files, one photocopy of ICPC Act, attendance register and weekly duty register were recovered from the illegal office.
Members of the public who have more information on the same or similar groups should avail ICPC with the requisite information either at our Ibadan office located at 19B University Crescent, Old Bodija Estate, Ibadan or through our website: info@icpc.gov.ng or through our toll-free lines: 0803 123 0280, 0803 123 0281, 0803 123 0282, 0705 699 0190 and 0705 699 0191