Trouble as anti-corruption organisation writes Dogara, alleges high-level graft against SEC DG Gwarzo

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The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has written the speaker of the Hiuse of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, alleging high-level corruption against the director-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Mournir Haliru Gwarzo.

In the letter signed by the executive director of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, and made available to NAIJ.com, the group listed some companies allegedly having links to Gwarzo with allegations that he had engaged in anti-establishment practices.

“On January 2, 2013, Mr Mournir Haliru Gwarzo, was appointed an executive commissioner in the Securities and Exchange Commission for a four year tenure by the then administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Before the expiration of the four year deal, Gwarzo was elevated by same government as the Director General of the Commission on May 22, 2015.

“But consequent upon resumption of office as the Director General of SEC, Mr Gwarzo, ordered the payment of a severance benefit to himself to the tune of N104,851,154.94,” CACOL said in the letter.

At the time of this report, Gwarzo had not officially reacted the allegations raised by CACOL.

Read the full letter below:

Saturday, 4 November, 2017

The Honourable Speaker,

House of Representatives,

National Assembly Complex,

Three Arms Zone,

Abuja, FCT.

Rt Hon Speaker,

ALLEGATION OF CORRUPTION AND ABUSE OF OFFICE AGAINST THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, SEC, MR MOURNIR HALIRU GWARZO

The attention of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has been drawn to a large scale abuse of office and gross official recklessness of the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Mr Mournir Haliru Gwarzo, who by our findings, have engaged in series of anti-establishment manipulations to enrich himself through acts that are at variance with civil service rules and regulations.

Our organisation, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) is an aggregate of human rights, community based and civil society organisations and individuals with anti-corruption and openness in governance agenda across Nigeria. It is a non-political, non-religious, non-sectional and non-profit making organisation.

We set for ourselves the tasks of promoting accountability, openness in governance and using any available means to cause relevant authorities to probe and bring to book, corrupt leaders both in public and private institutions.

We also strive to protect interest of persons or groups found to be victims or potential victims of corrupt practices or processes of manipulation and violation of human rights. The decision to embark on the journey was taken in 2007 in view of the need to confront, once and for all, the monster that is ravaging all facets of our national life in Nigeria – CORRUPTION.

It is in view of our commitment to the fight against corruption that we present the perceived official excesses and acts of corruption perpetrated by Mr Mournir Haliru Gwarzo before you.

The Issues:

On January 2, 2013, Mr Mournir Haliru Gwarzo, was appointed an Executive Commissioner in the Securities and Exchange Commission for a four year tenure by the then administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Before the expiration of the four year deal, Gwarzo was elevated by same government as the Director General of the Commission on May 22, 2015.

But consequent upon resumption of office as the Director General of SEC, Mr Gwarzo, ordered the payment of a severance benefit to himself to the tune of N104,851,154.94 (One hundred and four million, eight hundred and fifty one thousand, one hundred and fifty four naira and ninety-four kobo.

We view this development as total disregard to the standing rule in the civil service that states that severance benefit can only be paid to an employee who has concluded his or her service and has completely disengaged from service and not to an employee who has been promoted within the Commission as is in the case of Mr Gwarzo.

CACOL will also want you to look into the allegations of illegal creation of wealth from SEC by Mr Gwarzo.

It is alleged that Mr Haliru Gwarzo runs SEC as his personal estate and appointed companies with links to him and some of his rookies in office to carry out transactions and provide services to the commission.

Some of the Companies listed to have links with Mr Gwarzo are:

1. Outbound Investment Ltd, RC NO. 807317

2. Medusa Investments Limited, RC NO. 326829

3. Northwind Environmental Services. REG NO BN2389176

4. Micro-Technologies LTD RC NO. 173805

5. Tida International Ltd RC NO. 26414

6. Outlook Communications

7. Acromac Nig Ltd RC NO. 10687864

8. Balfort International Investment Ltd RC NO. 109153

9. Interactiven Worldwide Nig Ltd RC NO. 779442

We make bold to say that the personal interest of Mr Gwarzo in the above listed companies clearly contravenes the provisions of Nigerian law which distinctively prohibits public officers from putting themselves in situations where their personal interest conflicts with their public duties.

It is in view of these noted discrepancies that we urge you to institute a committee to beam searchlights on the activities of Mr Mournir Haliru Gwarzo’s as the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Herewith attached are some of the documents at our disposal wherefrom the above-enumerated issues were teased out. We are, however, at your service to provide more documents that may be necessary to facilitate a prompt delivery on your investigation at any point we are called upon for such assistance.

Please accept our esteemed regards as we look forward to your decisive intervention in unearthing the issues raised here with strict compliance with the rule of law.

Yours in the service of humanity

Debo Adeniran

NAIJ.com reported earlier that the National Assembly allegedly launched a fresh plot for the removal of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

The Nation reports that the lawmakers made the demand for Magu’s exit at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday night, November 1.

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