The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) on Wednesday
staged a protest at the Lagos offices of the Independent Corrupt Practices
Commission
(ICPC) to demand investigation and prosecution of Aviation Minister,
Ms Stella Odua, over the alleged purchase of two armoured BMW cars.
Though, the policemen shot thrice into the air, the
protesters insisted on gaining entrance into the premises of the commission.
However, Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders,
Mr. Debo Adediran, who spoke on behalf of the protesters lamented that many
lives have been lost due to corruption in the aviation sector.
The protesters, who presented a petition to ICPC prayed that
investigations should be commenced into the activities of the minister for
abuse of office; the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority; Nigerian Airspace
Management Agency; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other relevant
agencies under the Ministry of Aviation.
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. There reaction has been that they have not got a petition
to action that is why investigation has not begun. Now we have submitted a
petition, we want them to act.
“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 on our voice.”
He also urged President Jonathan to expose corrupt
ministers, including Oduah, saying that, “it is saddening that the President
who should set precedent for Nigerians to follow could be shielding the
indicted and even include them in his entourage to Israel on holy pilgrimage.
Chief Superintendent of ICPC in Lagos, Mr. Binga Shitema,
who attended to the protesters, assured them that necessary steps would be
taken and the petition would be acted upon.
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