Code of Conduct Bureau probes assets of 20 ministers and 30 permanent secretaries

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has investigated and verified the asset declarations of more than 20 ministers and 30 permanent secretaries. CCB Chairman Abdullahi Bello announced the findings during an anti-corruption and asset-tracing workshop in Abuja.

Bello stated that the bureau has transitioned from simply receiving asset declaration forms to actively examining them, investigating suspected breaches, and prosecuting offenders. The verification process involves face-to-face examinations of records and includes high-profile individuals such as officials from 32 health agencies.

The bureau compares an official’s declared assets at the start of their tenure against those at the end. Significant unexplained changes may trigger investigations and prosecution. Bello emphasized that the CCB does not need to wait for an official to complete their term to begin an investigation if there is sufficient intelligence or specific allegations.