Nigerian Minister Must Explain To The World Those Officials D’Banj Conspired With To Commit Fraud – Lawyer Insists As Musician Gets Bail

Pelumi Olajengbesi, lawyer to embattled Nigerian musician, Oladapo Oyebanji, popularly known as D’banj, has berated officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The pop star was detained after he was accused of allegedly fraudulently diverting hundreds of millions of naira earmarked by the Nigerian government for the N-Power project, an empowerment programme set up in 2016 to address youth unemployment and increase social development.

SaharaReporters had reported how top government officials introduced over 70,000 ghost workers into the N-Power Programme and fraudulently diverted billions of naira into their pockets.

The musician was however released on Friday on bail on terms of self-recognition.

Reacting in a Facebook post after his release, his lawyer said it was an embarrassment to the entire country that such a huge allegation of N900million was made without any evidence, and yet made public.

He posted, “DBANJ released on self-recognizance after ICPC could not find anything incriminating on him. He is clean. It is an embarrassment to the entire country that such a huge allegation of 900m Naira without any evidence, yet made public unconfirmed. The Chairman and entire officers of ICPC must be deeply sad and embarrassed also that their decent organisation was used for such a shameful publicity against an innocent man. Only few organisations and persons stood and waited to verify the claims.

“Nigeria is evil. The Minister that claimed to have instructed ICPC, when she only cashed into already ongoing investigation must now be ready to explain to world. We still demand, provide the details of the government authorities he allegedly collaborated with, provide the account and amount allegedly traced to Dbanj’s account. This is to say big thank you to Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN and my Learned Senior Barr. Babs for the leadership. Special thanks to all officers of ICPC for treating Dbanj kindly through his stay. Dbanj, chop life.”

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the anti-graft agency said it received numerous petitions on the diversion of N-Power funds running into billions of naira following the approval and release of such funds to the beneficiaries by the Federal Government.

It said many N-Power beneficiaries had complained over the non-receipt of the monthly funds in spite of payment by the government.

“About 10 persons have been invited by the ICPC over the last few months in connection with the N-Power fraud, and have been granted administrative bail after their detention. Several invitations to Mr. Oladipo Daniel Oyebanjo, to appear before a team of investigators were ignored and not honoured.

“Mr. Oyebanjo turned in himself and was taken into custody at the ICPC Headquarters on Tuesday, 6th December, 2022, and is currently assisting the investigators to unravel the circumstances of the fraud allegations by the petitioners,” the agency’s spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua said on Wednesday.

However, SaharaReporters learnt that D’banj was released on bail on Friday.

“The musician is planning to speak out soon,” a source told SaharaReporters.

According to his lawyers, the ICPC could not find any possible links of D’banj’s involvement in the corruption scandal involving N-Power Programme.