• Kogo channels N30m wardrobe allowance to renovate tribunal

Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Dr Mainasara Umar Kogo, has called for stronger cooperation among Nigeria, foreign embassies, and international law enforcement institutions to enforce anti-corruption judgments involving assets and investments outside the country.

Kogo said collaboration with diplomatic missions, Interpol and relevant international institutions was important to addressing cases in which individuals subject to Nigerian anti-corruption decisions have foreign links, including dual citizenship, overseas investments or assets held abroad.

He said Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts required stronger international partnerships to ensure that judgments did not lose their effect simply because relevant assets or individuals were beyond the country’s borders.

The CCT chairman made the call while outlining his vision to strengthen the tribunal’s capacity and address institutional challenges facing the country’s accountability system.

He argued that cooperation with foreign institutions could help improve the implementation of judgments and reinforce efforts to promote accountability in public office.

Kogo also called for reforms to the legal framework governing the tribunal, proposing that it be transformed into a National Anti-Corruption Court with broader prosecutorial powers.

According to him, the proposed reform would allow more anti-corruption agencies and, potentially, civil society organisations to initiate relevant proceedings, rather than leaving prosecution within the current framework.

MEANWHILE, Kogo has said he redirected about N30 million reportedly offered to him for a wardrobe change to renovate the tribunal’s dilapidated headquarters, describing the decision as part of efforts to restore the institution’s integrity.

Kogo said he declined to spend the money on himself and instead channelled it towards improving the tribunal’s facilities, which he claimed had suffered years of neglect.

The chairman, who spoke in an interview, said he met an institution struggling with poor infrastructure, inadequate working materials, unreliable security and widespread theft of public assets when he assumed office.

He said the headquarters had gone for years without renovation, while electricity and water supply had been disrupted and the lifts had stopped working.

He said: “Someone gave me some money, about N30 million. I said this was not for me. He said I should change my wardrobe. I said I didn’t need any change of wardrobe, but let me utilise it in order to renovate the place,” he said.

Kogo said he had also taken steps to restore electricity, provide boreholes, strengthen security and improve the working environment for staff.

He disclosed that the tribunal operated on an average monthly overhead allocation of N26 million to N28 million, which he said was often delayed and largely consumed by recurrent expenses.