#4.8 Billion Alleged Contract Fraud: OYACA Investigates Top Civil Servants, Retirees

The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) on Wednesday announced that some serving and retired civil servants of the state have been arrested for fraudulent contract that were awarded in 2018.

The fraud, according to a statement signed by the agency’s Chairman, Justice Eni Esan (retired), was said to have been perpetrated by the individuals at the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) and information about it concealed till the state’s anti-graft agency discovered it.

The act, according to the statement, involved the payment of the sum of #4.8billion to the three private companies without delivering the project and the agency is now after the said companies since the case was established and the officers involved arrested.

The agency claimed it is after the said companies since the case has been established and the officers involved have been arrested for further investigation and prosecution by the State’s Attorney-General.

“The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) has nabbed some retired and serving top civil servants in Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) for complicity in a fraudulent contract awarded in 2018.

“OYACA was able to discover this fraud despite concealment by the affected top officials to thwart the investigation exercise, the fraud involved the payment of humongous amount of money in the sum of #4.8billion to three companies yet to show up for investigation in spite of our invitations.

“The agency is on the heels of the affected companies to recoup the money paid into their accounts in 2018 for supplies not made to date, while investigation is still ongoing, OYACA makes bold to say that the law is no respecter of persons and everyone who has any form of connection with the matter will be dealt with according to the law.

“We hereby reiterate our commitment to zero tolerance of corruption in the public service of Oyo State,” it affirmed.

– Kunle Bakare.