Thursday September 24, 2026
SituationREPORT
The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, Abdullahi Bello, says the bureau has investigated and verified the assets of more than 20 ministers and 30 permanent secretaries as part of efforts to strengthen accountability among public officers.
Bello disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday at an anti-corruption and asset tracing stakeholders’ workshop organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda in collaboration with the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa.
Bello said the CCB had moved beyond merely receiving asset declaration forms to examining declarations, investigating suspected infractions and prosecuting offenders.
“We are not submitting forms anymore. Now, we’re examining the forms, we’re also investigating, and we’re also prosecuting,” he said.
The chairman said the bureau had focused its verification exercise on high-profile public officers.
“We have interviewed and verified the relations of more than 20 ministers, 30 permanent secretaries, 32 health agencies, and other high-profile individuals,” Bello said.
He said the bureau invites public officers to its office for face-to-face examination of their records.
“One of the key things that we do is that, once you declare your assets at the beginning of your term, we verify it; then we’ll wait for you at the end of your term, and we’ll also verify it.
“If you see any difference between the beginning and the end, that can only be explained by your non-social income, then we investigate you and prosecute you,” he said.
(Punch)
