ICPC Chairman on spotlight over allegation of malfeasance in Sterling Oil investigation

…Group alleges corrupt dealings, indiscretions

…Questions Chairman’s frequent foreign trips

…Petitions Tinubu, wants urgent probe

…Commission denies wrongdoing

A petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accused Musa Adamu Aliyu, chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), of official indiscretion in failing to pursue an investigation involving Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited with the expected diligence, raising allegations of possible corrupt dealings in the handling of a court order freezing accounts linked to the company.

The African Youth Advocacy Against Poverty Initiative, in a petition dated October 20, 2026, and signed by Nasiru Jinaidu, its chairman, and Adamu Aliyu, the secretary, called for an independent investigation into the chairman’s handling of the matter, alongside allegations concerning financial transactions, property acquisitions, foreign travel and possible conflicts of interest.

At the centre of the petition is a Federal High Court order dated June 24, 2025, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1041/2025, directing the freezing of bank accounts associated with Sterling Oil and related companies for 120 days to facilitate an investigation.

The order was issued by Justice J. K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, in a matter between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited.

The petitioners question the subsequent handling of the order and allege that the investigation was not pursued with the diligence expected of the commission. It also raises concerns about whether improper negotiations or other dealings influenced the handling of the case.

“The allegations raise a fundamental question that the Nigerian public deserves to have answered; can the head of an anti-corruption agency obtain a court order against suspected financial wrongdoing and subsequently fail to pursue its implementation, while concerns simultaneously arise over possible private benefits, unexplained assets, and the extensive use of public resources?” the petition queried.

Beyond Sterling Oil, the petition makes allegations concerning payments purportedly connected to investigations involving the commission. It refers to $1.5 million allegedly recovered from an individual identified as Darwish Mohammed and another alleged $5 million transaction said to have involved a bureau de change account.

The petition does not, on its own, establish the circumstances, recipients or legality of the alleged transactions.

It also questions the reported acquisition of properties in Abuja and Egypt by the chairman, calling for scrutiny of their ownership, funding and compliance with applicable asset-declaration requirements.

The organisation further requests an examination of the chairman’s reported foreign trips and the use of public resources for overseas training and capacity-building programmes.

“It has further come to our knowledge that the Chairman has travelled more than 100 times since assuming office, which raises legitimate questions about the purpose, necessity, cost, and public benefit of such extensive travel, safe for personal interest.

“The Chairman of an anti-corruption agency is expected to exercise exceptional prudence in the use of public funds and institutional privileges. Official travel must serve a demonstrable public purpose; it must not become an avenue for personal convenience, the repeated expenditure of public resources, or the displacement of professional development opportunities intended for career officers,” the group said.

Another issue raised concerns the alleged involvement of the chairman’s elder brother, Habib Aliyu, in communications or negotiations relating to matters connected with the commission. The petition refers to an office in Abuja described by the petitioners as an “ICPC annex” and seeks clarification of the nature of the alleged involvement.

The petition asks the President to ensure that the allegations are independently examined and that appropriate action is taken based on the findings. Its requests include scrutiny of the Sterling Oil investigation, examination of the alleged financial transactions, verification of reported property acquisitions and a review of official travel expenditure.

“We consider these matters too serious to be dismissed as administrative irregularities or left to internal institutional discretion. They demand independent scrutiny, documentary verification, and accountability at the highest level,” the petitioners said.

The organisation also calls for safeguards against possible interference in any investigation, while stressing the importance of accountability in the management of public institutions.

The ICPC, however, has rejected the allegations.

John Okor Odey, the commission’s spokesperson, said the agency and its chairman had nothing to hide, challenging the petitioners to substantiate their claims.

“The ICPC as well as its chairman have nothing to hide. The petitioners should also be sure of their allegations and be ready to substantiate them. The allegations of wrongdoing are not correct,” Odey said in response to enquiries by BusinessDay.

Odey’s response did not provide details on the current status of the Sterling Oil investigation, the steps taken by the commission following the court order or whether the commission had formally received the petition.

The commission’s position is that the allegations are incorrect and that the petitioners should be prepared to substantiate them.