Oduahgate: Anti-corruption group wants Aviation Minister jailed

Some Protesters had on Wednesday demanded that the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah be properly investigated, tried and jailed if found guilty with regard to the alleged N255M car scandal.

The group made this request when they marched to the Lagos Office of the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.

The protesters, at about 10:15am stormed the ICPC office, resisted police confrontation and forced their way into the ICPC office premises.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adediran, emphasised on the importance of the protest, affirming that many lives had been lost in the Aviation sector. He blamed corruption for the woes of the aviation industry.

He said, “The purchase of the bulletproof cars is outrageous. It is the ICPC that should deal with anything that has to do with official corruption. Their reaction has been that they have not got a petition to act and that is why investigation has not begun. Now we have submitted a petition, we want them to act.

“It is saddening that the President who should set precedence for Nigerians to follow could be shielding the indicted and even include them in his entourage to Israel on holy pilgrimage. It is also not unlikely that Ms. Oduah is in the league of Mr. President’s benefactors.“If Oduah is found guilty after the probe, we want her to go to jail; we want anybody found culpable to be prosecuted diligently, we want anybody found guilty to be adequately punished and until we get that, we will not rest.

“Though the President has set up a panel to investigate the allegations, it must be noted that most of the time when President Jonathan sets up his panels, they are to bury the issues rather than bending it to justice.”

While presenting their petition to the ICPC, the protesters requested that the body begins immediate investigation into the activities of the Minister; the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority; Nigerian Airspace Management Agency; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria; and other key agencies under the Aviation sector.

Mr. Binga Shintema, Chief Superintendent of ICPC in Lagos, who addressed the protesters on behalf of the Commission promised to act on their petition as soon as possible.