2 suspects in hot soup over false whistle-blowing

…Suspects face prosecution, to be arraigned in court Tuesday
…Agency warns Nigerians against undue advantage of policy over money
The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property has arrested two suspects: Muhammed Sanusi and Prince Ovie Jeff for false whistle-blowing.

The two suspects were said to have alerted the panel about stacks of money belonging to one businessman at a property in Gwarinpa area of Abuja.

The SPIPRPP Head of Media and Communication, Lucie-Aan Laha, disclosed the development in Abuja on Friday, saying that upon receiving the information, the agency obtained a search warrant and raided the property, but no money was recovered.

She said: “The suspects came to us with information about money stored in large bags, both local and foreign denominations, at an apartment in Gwarinpa.

“So we needed to get clearance to search the house, and as we got there, our investigators ransacked the entire house and we found nothing.

“A number of Nigerians are trying to take undue advantage of the whistleblower policy, because of the monetary strings attached to reporting public loots.”

Ovie, who said he came to Abuja from Bayelsa State because of the money, said he was told the money was a looted public fund, adding that he simply wanted to get his own share.

He said he met Muhammed Sanusi through one Alli who is currently at large, claiming to have spiritual powers to detect where money is kept.

Sanusi corroborated the story, but accused Ovie of masterminding the false alarm which led to their arrest on Thursday.

The agency explained that the case is currently under investigation, stating that the suspects would appear before a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse on Tuesday.

The PRO said the panel had recovered numerous looted public funds since its establishment a year ago.

According to her, the panel recently charged to court, Director of Finance and Account, Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Ibrahim Tomsah, with whom 86 brand new vehicles were found in his warehouse.

She said, “We have impounded the 86 brand new vehicles parked in a warehouse, and he cannot explain how he came about it.

“And 23 of these vehicles are armoured vehicles. We are also querying some properties in highbrow areas of Abuja, and a quarry in Kuje.

“Several properties in Kaduna, Yobe and Lagos, our investigators are looking into that.

Finally, she called on public to provide the panel with useful and credible information about looted public funds.