Corruption Crackdown – CCB Probes Ministers, Top Govt Officials in High-Stakes Cases
By: Abudu Olalekan
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) says it’s already digging into the pockets of former ministers, current top government officials and senior public officers. In a chat with NAN on a Sunday in Abuja, the bureau’s boss, Dr Abubakar Bello, laid it all out – no sugar‑coating, just straight facts.
“We have started investigating high‑profile individuals,” he said. “There’s a former minister we’ve already taken to court.”
Another former minister? A serving top official? Both are under the microscope.
Bello didn’t name names. He kept quiet, “We don’t want a media trial before the court says ‘guilty.’”
You hear people whisper that the anti‑corruption fight only hunts low‑level crooks, leaves the big fish untouched. Not true, he snapped back. Ministers, senior officials, they’re all on the watchlist.
Why the hush‑hush approach? Because shouting accusations before proof is dangerous. “Sometimes petitions are frivolous. Once the media blasts a name, the damage is done – even if later we find the person clean.”
The bureau’s main weapon? Asset declaration. Every public officer must file assets at the start and end of their tenure. “If you go from ₦10 million to ₦200 million and can’t explain the jump, we step in.”
It’s not just numbers. The CCB also rides on petitions from citizens and fellow civil servants. “If there’s a petition, we investigate. If we find a missing declaration or a shaky income source, we go to court.”
Bello brushed aside concerns about Nigeria’s low anti‑corruption rating. “We have 4.5 million public servants. We can’t scan them all with our current resources.”
Instead, they’re using a risk‑based approach. “Focus on high‑risk, high‑profile folks where the impact is biggest. It may look selective, but it’s about stretching limited funds for the biggest payoff.”
He admits the system is still paper‑heavy, manpower thin, funding tight. But change is on the horizon. “Soon we’ll move asset declarations online. It’ll cut errors, speed up verification and boost prosecutions.”
The tone? Formal when he talks law and process, casual when he drops a blunt line. He mixes legal jargon with everyday talk, like a storyteller recounting a tense courtroom drama.
Short sentences punch harder: “We have started investigating.” “We don’t want a media trial.” “It may look selective, but it’s about resources.”
Life of a public officer is a tightrope. One day they’re praised; the next they’re under a microscope. “From my experience with the EFCC, people write frivolous petitions. Media reports label them corrupt before the truth even shows up.”
Bello’s message is clear: the CCB works within the law, not the headlines. “We only speak when we’re ready to go to court.”
In short, the fight against corruption isn’t a one‑size‑fits‑all chase. It’s a calculated, patient hunt, aiming to snag the biggest fish without drowning the whole pond.
Reportersroom will keep tracking every twist, every filing, every court filing that shapes this quiet war. Stay tuned.
