The scandal in PEF

When the objective of the Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund (PCPEF) was sold to the public during the last administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, it was unreservedly received. It had to be so because Nigeria had come to that point that any measure at all that would lift the status of the Nigeria Police in a way that it will begin to perform efficiently and effectively, will receive maximum support and encouragement from all and sundry.

It was based on this, that donations to the fund came tumbling in from all over. Individuals, organizations and even foreign institutions and embassies enthusiastically made substantial donations. Although no account of receipt has been made public, the money so collected is reported to amount to several billions of naira. At once, that is a reasonable sum, which can make a serious impact on the dishevelled and distraught Nigeria Police force.

However, we are quite disturbed by recent allegations of how the fund has been misapplied in the most irresponsible and callous manner. If there is indeed truth in these swirling allegations, then it is most unfortunate, if not a national scandal of a monumental proportion.

Among other allegations, it is reported that the PCPEF spent over N5 billion of the fund’s collectables for such purposes other than the purpose for which it is meant. It is said that the sum was spent on car gifts to well-placed individuals in the society, including the National Assembly, security agencies and government departments.

Press reports put the beneficiaries to include, Yar’Adua Campaign Organization, the Sultan of Sokoto, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, its counterpart in the House of Representatives, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Ministry of Interior, the Army, Nigerian Intelligence Agency and Directorate of Intelligence. These cars, it is alleged, are no utility but BMW luxury cars.

The original idea for raising the fund is to equip the police and bring the force to such a position that it will perform its roles as prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution. The question then is, in what way does giving luxury cars to individuals and organizations promote that idea and ideal? Again, how were private individuals given such unchecked powers to collect and disburse a fund of this nature?

There are also some other grave allegations against this body, including the one which said that two Ukrainian helicopters, which were earlier purchased by the fund, were later returned to the sellers after payment had been made. It is also alleged that some N250.5 million of the fund was squandered in a pre-launch dinner in August 2006. It is even said that at some point, what had started as Presidential Committee later transformed into a non-governmental organization now known and called Police Equipment Foundation.

It is understood that the Independent Corrupt Practices (and Related Offences) Commission (ICPC) has launched an investigation into all these allegations. That is encouraging, but we think that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should have been involved in the investigation, in spite of the fact that it is also alleged to be a beneficiary of the car gifts.

To begin with, all these vehicles must be retrieved. It is immoral for those who have been listed as beneficiaries of the gifts to have accepted them. We believe that there are certain gifts our leaders should not accept.

It is embarrassing for these kinds of allegations to be made of the fund. This is a fund that well-meaning individuals and institutions, both local and international, donated into. How would these donors receive news of this nature? Indeed, this does not speak well of this country and its institutions. It is reprehensible. Even the police, for whom the fund was put together, is still reeling in its abject condition, while the moneys realised in its name are being used for debauchery.
We therefore call for a probe of the activities of the managers of this fund.

We also ask that government takes over the fund and reconstitutes its management, to include Nigerians of impeccable integrity. A judicial panel of inquiry should probe the management of this fund so far. This is not to discountenance the efforts of the ICPC. We want to believe that a judicial inquiry will be more effective and appropriate in this case.