Opposition parties want Lai Mohammed arrested, prosecuted over alleged N2.5bn NBC fraud

Opposition political parties under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), have demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

They want him to answer for his role in the alleged N2.5 billion Digital Switch fraud rocking the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

The coalition’s first national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, made the call in a statement on Friday, arguing that the NBC Director-General, Kawu Modibbo, currently being prosecuted for the alleged fraud is only being used as a scapegoat to shield Mohammed.

He said if, indeed, President Muhammadu Buhari administration was fighting corruption, that the minister should have been arrested and prosecuted over the alleged fraud.

“Opposition political parties have expressed concern over the pressure being mounted by the Presidency on the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to discontinue the investigation of a N2.5 billion Digital Switch over fraud rocking the National Broadcasting Commission because the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, whose ministry  supervises the commission is linked to the fraud.

“It is surprising that President Muhammadu Buhari will keep boasting of fighting corruption while in the real sense of it, his government is corruption personified.

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“The Federal Government is currently prosecuting the Director-General of the NBC, Kawu Modibbo, on the matter while Lai Mohammed is left alone despite that he was linked to the fraud.

“What we have seen so far is that Alhaji Mohammed has continued to make inflammatory comments in order to continue to appease the Presidency for shielding him from prosecution.

“We therefore demand the arrest and prosecution of Alhaji Lai Mohammed over this monumental fraud to prove that this administration is indeed committed to fighting corruption,” the statement read.

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