Fraud: ICPC freezes SURE-P director's account, seizes cars

– The ICPC has frozen the accounts of some directors of the defunct SURE-P  
– Over 30 vehicles have been seized by the anti-graft agency 
– President Muhammadu Buhari scrapped the scheme in November 2015

ICPC freezes SURE-P directors’ accounts, seizes vehicles over alleged N3bn fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has began investigation into the activities of directors and senior officials of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). Today.ng reports that the anti-graft agency had frozen the accounts of some of the officials while some vehicles had been seized from them.

A source in the ICPC said on Wednesday, March 16, that the probe started after the commission received information that huge funds were embezzled by the officials. “We have frozen the bank accounts of some of the officials while we have started seizing some vehicles from them. Our plan is to seize about 200. Presently, we have seized about 30,” the source said. About 34 vehicles including Hilux vans, salon cars and sports utility vehicles were parked on the premises of the anti-graft agency on Wednesday. 

 It was gathered that the probe was in connection with a N3bn fraud allegedly involving the federal ministry of finance and the SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme. It was learnt that the money was meant to pay the allowances of 17,500 participants of the scheme for the period of eight months, which never got to them. The immediate past permanent secretary of the ministry of finance, Anastasia Nwobiala, is already in court over the Nigeria Immigration recruitment scam, which led to the death of about 20 graduate applicants. President Muhammadu Buhari scrapped SURE-P which was established by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2012, after nationwide protests followed the hike in the prices of petroleum products.