BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
A businessman and estate developer, Andy Chime, has raised concerns over the alleged misuse of power by the Acting Director of Operations at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing him of intervening in a civil matter outside the commission’s mandate.
In an open letter of protest, Chime alleges that the Director may have overstepped his authority by intervening in a civil matter related to electricity reconnection at the Mohammadu Buhari Estate in Mbora District, Abuja.
In a letter signed by counsel to Chime, Oladimeji Ekengba on behalf of CIL, calls for an investigation into the ICPC Director’s involvement in a dispute concerning the management of the estate.
According to the the letter, the issue revolves around a resident of the estate who allegedly failed to pay outstanding levies and an unpaid balance of N20 million for a property purchased at a discounted rate.
The lawyer to estate developer in the letter said despite these alleged arrears, the resident reportedly sought the ICPC’s intervention after his electricity supply was disconnected by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) following instructions from the estate’s association.
Chime, whose company developed the estate under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Police Force, claims that the estate association followed proper procedures in managing security and maintenance.
According to him, the association had reportedly disconnected the resident’s electricity due to non-payment of maintenance fees, a matter typically handled by the AEDC.
The letter further describes how ICPC officials, acting on instructions from their Director of Operations, arrived at the estate with police officers to reconnect the electricity.
Chime and other estate residents opposed the move, arguing that it fell outside the ICPC’s mandate, which is primarily focused on public sector corruption, not civil matters between private parties.
Tensions reportedly escalated when ICPC officials attempted to arrest Chime, though they later left the scene after intervention from residents.
While the letter questions the appropriateness of the ICPC’s involvement, it refrains from making definitive claims about the Director’s personal motivations, instead urging the ICPC leadership to examine the matter carefully and ensure that the commission’s resources are used strictly within its legal mandate.
At the time of writing, the ICPC has not publicly responded to the letter of protest.
However, according to the letter the situation draws attention to the need for transparency and accountability within law enforcement agencies, with calls for clear guidelines to prevent any potential misuse of authority in matters beyond jurisdiction.
