Sagay takes anti-graft campaign to conduct bureau

Members of the seven-man Presidential Advisory Committee on War Against Corruption, led by its chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), met with the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. Sam Saba, in closed door at the bureau’s office in Abuja on Wednesday.

Our correspondent learnt that the meeting which started about 10am on Wednesday lasted for about two and a half hours.

The Code of Conduct Bureau is saddled with, among other responsibilities, the receiving and verification of assets declared by public officers.

The bureau also has the powers to prosecute offenders who breached relevant laws on assets declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Our correspondent learnt that the Sagay-led committee, appointed on August 10, is currently touring various anti-corruption agencies in order to arrive at recommendations that would later be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It was learnt that the meeting with the CCB chairman which held at the instance of the Sagay committee on Wednesday deliberated on how the CCB could be co-opted into the renewed fight against corruption under the new administration of President Buhari.

CCB officials said they could not confirm the visit of the officials to the Bureau on Wednesday.

But the chairman of the committee, Sagay, confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone on Wednesday that his committee met with the CCB chairman and discussed issues on the committee’s mandate.

He said, “Yes, we visited the bureau as part of our plan to visit various anti-corruption agencies. We were there to know what they are doing, their plans and the problems and the challenges they are facing. We also visited them to know how we can intervene and assist them.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had in a statement on August 10, 2015 disclosed the appointment of members of the committee.

Adesina, said the committee’s brief was to advise the present administration on the prosecution of the war against corruption and the implementation of required reforms in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

He said the committee was also saddled with the responsibility of developing comprehensive interventions for achieving the recommended reforms.

The presidential spokesman listed other members of the committee to include a Professor of Criminology, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Femi Odekunle (member); an Associate Professor of International Law, University of Jos, Dr. Benedicta Daudu (member); Professor of Sociology, University of Jos, Prof. E. Alemika (member); Professor of Criminology, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Sadiq Radda (member); a civil society activist, Hadiza Bala Usman; and Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (Secretary).