Reps probe Aregbesola over alleged ₦165bn prison fraud

The House of Representatives has initiated a corruption probe of Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, over alleged N165 billion prison fraud.

Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, presided over the plenary on Wednesday where it was decided that Aregbesola and prisons chief Haliru Nababa should be probed for allegedly mismanaging about N165 billion earmarked for prisons development across the country.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance by Ndudi Elumelu, the minority leader of the House on the floor of the House on Wednesday in Abuja.

In his argument, Elumelu criticised the welfare of the workforce, saying, “The House is disturbed that despite this Act and increase in budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Correctional Service to drive its renewed mandate, the tempo and quality of the Service have remained the same if not retrogressing.

“The House is worried that the working conditions of Staff and inmates’ welfare have deteriorated notwithstanding the over N165 billion budget allocations to the Service in the last two years.”

The legislators resolved to have its committee on Reformatory Institutions investigate the allegations and report to the House within 12 weeks for further legislative action.

The move comes as Messrs Aregbesola and Tinubu are slugging it out publicly over the power tussle in Osun state. On Monday, Mr Aregbesola was at a political rally where Tinubu was severely derided, including being mocked over the viral video that many said amounted to public urination on his body.

Aregbesola has been locked in a fierce political battle with his former chief of staff and successor, Gboyega Oyetola, accusing him and Tinubu of conniving to destroy his legacy in Osun. Messrs Tinubu and Oyetola are believed to be of the same family, with Mr Oyetola often describing himself as a younger brother to Tinubu.