THESE are not comfortable times for some ‘super rich’ civil
servants as they are said to be rushing to sell their choice
houses and state-of-the-art automobiles in order to avoid
losing the properties to the President Muhammadu Buhari’s
anti-graft crusade.
Already, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related
offences Commission has reportedly confiscated some
buildings said to have been owned by public servants whose
earnings are said not to support ownership of such grand
structures.
Our correspondents learnt on Tuesday that some civil servants
now bombard estate agents in the Federal Capital Territory in
order to aid the quick sale of their properties, while financially
buoyant buyers were said to have started cashing in on the
development.
One of our correspondents gathered that the sale of properties
in Abuja since the new administration came on board had
increased by about 30 per cent.
In fact, it was learnt that property sales in the FCT increased
“tremendously” within the past four weeks, in contrast to the
lull that characterised the sector from January to May this
year.
Real estate agents in the Federal Capital Territory told The
PUNCH that the increase could be attributed to the recent
probes of government officials and the resultant confiscation
of their properties by the ICPC.
ThePUNCH had reported exclusively a few weeks ago that the
ICPC would commence a clampdown on very wealthy civil
servants.
On August 16, SundayPUNCH reported that the ICPC had
seized 24 landed properties that belonged to three officers of
the Niger Delta Ministry.
It stated that the properties were seized because they were
“excessive of the emoluments of the affected officers.”
The commission had also explained that the properties were
seized in pursuant to Section 45 (4) a – (b) of the Corrupt
Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.
The ICPC had, among others, said, “Whereas the commission is
investigating a matter involving some staff of the Niger Delta
ministry, wherein certain movable and immovable properties
owned by the said staff are in issue. And whereas the
commission is of the opinion based on the aforementioned
investigation that these movable and immovable properties
owned by these people who are staff of the Ministry of Niger
Delta Affairs are excessive, having regard to their present
emoluments and all other relevant circumstances.
“The commission hereby notifies the entire public that all
movable and immovable properties owned by these staff and
listed hereunder are seized.”
Real estate agents that spoke with our correspondents
explained that some private individuals had started consulting
real estate agents, requesting assistance in disposing of their
properties.
“The probe has created panic. Private persons now consult us,
requesting our assistance in helping them sell their properties.
Of course, they won’t say they are trying to avoid probe, but
most of us know that that is what they are avoiding,” an agent
and member of the Real Estate Developers Association of
Nigeria, who pleaded not to be identified, said.
When contacted, the immediate past National President/
Chairman of Council, REDAN, Chief Olabode Afolayan, said that
the property sector had witnessed an unprecedented boom in
the sales of properties in the past few weeks.
He said, “In the last couple of months, you could see that there
was no activity at all. Between January and May, it was like
there was no activity at all. So, what we are experiencing now
shows that people are coming back to business and we hope
that things will soon take normal shape.”
When asked if the rise in sales of properties could be attributed
to the anti-corruption stance of the President and the recent
sanctioning of some civil servants, he said “that might not be
far from the truth.”
Afolayan said, “That might not be the case with estate
developers because we are not government officials, rather we
sell our own properties. But for owners of existing properties
who are beginning to offload their belongings, then it might be
for the reason not too far from what we are experiencing now,
in which we have a government that is going to be proactive in
addressing corruption and is not going to condone any form of
negativity that will affect the system.
“But for us, it is a different thing because we have our own
businesses and many of our businesses are funded by
financial institutions. We sell our properties now because we
don’t want the devaluation of the naira to catch up with our
businesses.”
Afolayan’s successor and incumbent President of REDAN, Mr.
Ugochukwu Chime, told one of our correspondents that it was
expected for the sales of properties to increase, adding that
many government officials of the past administration might
want to dispose of their properties now.
He said, “We have not done any study now. However, it is a
seasonal thing. Some of the officials of the past government
will not want to leave Abuja just like that, it is not possible.
Those who are coming with the new government have moved
massively into Abuja and they are willing to buy.
“Those of the past government will want to sell their properties
to either meet their needs or may do so not to leave Abuja just
like that.”
The FCT Chairman of REDAN, Mrs. Binta Ibrahim, said she
could not attribute the haste by civil servants to dispose of
their belongings to probe, but noted that the sales of
properties had increased.
“People are buying properties and sales have increased since
the new administration came onboard, particularly in recent
times. However, I cannot say if those selling are civil servants
who are trying to avoid corruption probe by the President or
not,” she said
Meanwhile, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria
has applied to the ICPC for information on civil servants
alleged to own properties worth billions of naira.
The union said that it asked the anti-graft agency to furnish it
with the details of civil servants that were discovered to have
used proceeds of corruption to purchase properties in Abuja,
Lagos and other cities of the country.
The General Secretary, ASCSN, Bashir Lawal, said this on
Tuesday when our correspondent asked him to react to the
ICPC report in which many civil servants were alleged to own
high net worth and choice properties.
Lawal declined to comment on the report, saying the union
needed to see the content of the ICPC report before it could
offer a response to it.
Lawal said, “We need to confirm whether the owners of the
properties are real civil servants; at times, some people are
brought into the civil service; so, are we talking of people
brought into the service by politicians or the real civil
servants?
“We have called for details from ICPC; when we get the details,
we will react appropriately.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/icpc-probe-super-rich-civil-servants-rush-to-sell-houses/






cc.lalasticlala




ishilove

There is fire on the mountain,,,,

this 'Buharinophobia' is real. Some of these crooks must be having incessant dreams of prison.

Fear factor

Time to buy in asokoro


Better deals for mega houses no need of agents just direct


I love my sai buhari his doing it

All you thieving civil servants, follow this simple instruction;
Sell the properties and return the money to government.

hmmmm