The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has summoned Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over an alleged N438million contract scam involving his purported company, New Planet Projects, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation led by the now-suspended Betta Edu.
The Interior Minister will honour the invitation at the CCB Headquarters, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja over an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
According to the invitation, CCB is investigating the fake contract case which the Interior Minister has been accused of benefiting from, through his alleged company.
The letter reads:
“The bureau is investigating a case of alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in which your name featured prominently. Consequently, you are invited for an interview scheduled as follows:
“Date: Tuesday, 16th January, 2024. Time: 1100hrs prompt. Venue: CCB Headquarters on 5th Floor, Annex III, Phase I, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja.
“This invitation is pursuant to the mandate and powers of the Bureau as enshrined in the Third Schedule, Part I, Paragraph 3 (e) to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. Please be properly guided.”
Shortly after the suspension of Disaster Minister Betta Edu, a document emerged with a list of companies that benefited from her alleged contract scam. Tunji-Ojo’s alleged company was on that list.
However, the Minister claimed he was no longer signatory to the company’s account, thus, had no knowledge that money had been received from the ministry.
Both Betta Edu and Tunji-Ojo have spent barely five months in office as the country’s ministers, having taken their oath of office on August 12, 2023 along with 43 others.