The Chairman, Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA), Hon. Justice Eni Esan (Rtd.) has revealed that legislative and legal processes are ongoing to enable the agency prosecute offenders.
Esan said this while responding to questions from journalists after a sensitization and advocacy programme for the 2024 Batch A, Stream One of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members at their permanent site in Iseyin on Friday.
She informed the reporters that OYACA had written to the Oyo State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Abiodun Aikomo for the amendment of the law that established the anti-corruption agency, for it to have the legal autonomy to prosecute.
The retired Justice added that she has already gotten permission from the Attorney-General of the State to send OYACA’s legal officers to court for prosecution of its cases.
According to her, “Efforts are ongoing for the agency to get autonomy to prosecute offenders under the state’s anti-corruption laws. We have written to the Honorable Attorney General of the State to help us go through the process of amending the OYACA LAW, to give us the power to prosecute our matters. But right now, the Honorable Attorney General has given us permission to send our own legal officers to court to prosecute OYACA cases. This will help in speeding up the legal process and we will be able to cover many cases after our usual investigations.”
The OYACA Chairman was accompanied to the event by Prince (Dr) Oyebade Oyedepo, a member of OYACA board, CSP Lawrence Eyindero, another board member, Mr. Ibrahim Tijani, the Executive Secretary of OYACA, Mrs Folasade Ajibade, the Director of I.C.T and Mr. Lere Omotoso, Director Administration and Supply.
In her address to the corps members, the Chairman harped on the effects of corruption to the local communities, the state and the nation at large, saying that the the common vice was the cause of the entrenched poverty in Nigeria.
She called on them to be join the force against graft in the State by speaking against it and reporting same to the agency for investigation and prosecution of those involved.
“The citizens of most developing countries like Nigeria have continued to wallow in poverty, not because there are no deliberate government programmes to improve their standard of living, but because of sheer greed and selfishness of some individuals. Corruption and all related crimes should not be tolerated as the devastating effects of corruption can no longer be ignored, hence the fight against it must be taken as personal challenge,” Eni Esan told the corps members”, she added.
The OYACA Chairman later led his team to inspect the new office of the agency at Iseyin which was under renovation and would be opened for use soon.
In his response, the State’s NYSC Coordinator, Odoba Abel appreciated the intent of the state government to establish the anti-corruption agency, assuring OYACA that the corps members would be the advocates of anti-graft campaign at all the areas of the state where they would be posted.
