ICPC to investigate sources of looted palliatives

The Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ( ICPC) said on Tuesday that it would investigate sources of looted palliatives across the states.

There have been reported cases of youths breaking into warehouses in different states of the country and carting away items, especially foodstuff, meant for distribution during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The commission’s spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, in a statement said in the aftermath of the looting spree that ensued as a result of the #ENDSARS protest, the antigraft commission was set to commence the investigation of the sources of looted items.

According to the statement, this is in response to increasing public demands on the commission to investigate and uncover the rationale behind the storage of palliative materials meant for the suffering masses in warehouses across the country which were supposed to be distributed to the citizens.

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Recall that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the commission had taken proactive measures to prevent corruption in the administration of the Covid-19 funds by setting up a monitoring team that was charged with the responsibility of preventing possible abuse.

In addition, the commission drew up “guidelines for PTF management of Covid-19 relief funds” and issued an advisory on the management of the Covid-19 relief funds.

“The scope of the monitoring activities of ICPC did not cover CACOVID funds which were donated by individuals and private sector organisations as palliatives, but only the Federal Government funds used to procure relief materials and other palliatives.

“In view of the recent looting spree, ICPC will investigate the sources of goods looted from palliatives warehouses, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and private houses to unravel whether or not the properties looted were personally acquired, the government procured, CACOVID donated, or are empowerment materials which are part of the constituency projects initiative of the Federal Government.

“ICPC will also scale up the monitoring of Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAS) charged with the acquisition and distribution of Covid-19 palliative relief materials and make public its findings in due course,” the statement added.