Lai Mohammed Raises Alarm Over Plots To Discredit Buhari’s Anti-Corruption Fight

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has raised an alarm over what he describes as plots by some individuals to rubbish the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government’s anti-corruption fight by discrediting the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC).


Alhaji Mohammed made this known in Abuja on Tuesday in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr. Segun Adeyemi.

According to him, PACAC’s letterhead and stamp as well as the signature of its chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay, were being forged and used to contact people within and outside the country and also portray the country’s highest advisory committee against corruption in bad light.

The Minister said, in a particular instance, a letter purportedly signed by the PACAC Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay, was being sent to unsuspecting persons to extort money from them.

Mohammed said the letter entitled, ”Presidential Investigation on Outstanding Federal Government External Contract Debts”,  and a form to be filled for that purpose were being sent out by the perpetrators to extort money.

”For the avoidance of doubt, the president has not mandated PACAC to investigate and recommend for payment some outstanding contract debts, as contained in the letter in question.

“The Federal Government has also not approved the disbursement of 850 million dollars in the 2017 budget for payment of the so-called external contract debt.

”We are therefore using this medium to inform Nigerians and foreigners alike to disregard such letters,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said “Sagay and all the members of his committee are men and women of proven integrity.’’

He said they would never allow the committee to be used for any activity that was not within its mandate or that was capable of weakening the anti-corruption fight of the administration.