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Iheanacho Nwosu, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun recovery of over N1.6 billion from 40 staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) allegedly siphoned from the agency between 2017 and 2018.
The money was siphoned through fraudulent Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) by the staff at the instance of management officials.
The move is coming as the commission has declared manhunt for the director of Support services of the agency , Mr.Peter Hena accused of of being involved in the fraud.
A source at the commission disclosed that the embattled staff, some of whom detained and granted bail have started refunding the alleged stolen funds to the EFCC.
He said “some amounts running into millions have been recovered . We are working to recover the remaining money .”
He said that all the people involved in the deal have been grilled but explained that only 20 of the 40 suspects were detained and later granted bail . Among those undergoing interrogation , he said is the Director of Finance of FIRS, Mohammed Auta.
He disclosed “the staff involved have been given between a week and three weeks to refund the money they took. We have impounded their passports and are closely monitoring their movements. “
The source said the amount the staff siphoned using the DTA range from N101million, N97million, N75million,N89m, N65million,N50million to N42million per individual staff between 2017 and 2018. He insisted that public servant could earn over N100million legitimately through DTA within a year or two .
He said “even if a public servant spends 35 years he or she cannot get as much as N100million, N97million , N89million etc from DTA . It is an unconscionable looting of public funds “.
Explaining how the fraud was perpetrated he said “some senior management staff were using junior and middle cadre staff to siphon the money.
“They use Duty Tour Allowance (DTA). The funds are paid to the staff, after little deduction the bulk of the money is given to the senior management staff . So far about 40 staff are involved and have been invited . A staff will apply and collect in multiple manner money for a trip and yet will not go on the trip.
““Many of them explained how they remitted the money to a particular account and kept a percentage”.
It was gathered that the anti-graft agency monitored the development and invited all the staff involved in the deal . The amount is said to be in the region of N1.6 billion .
The source said EFCC operatives are looking at all the sections of FIRS describing the the level of corruption that was unearthed as stunning .
On the whereabouts of Hena, he said the director support services is yet to appear before the commission . According to him, the director is said to have traveled overseas for medical check , vowing that the anti graft body will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that everybody involved in the scandal is investigated.
Hena is the Coordinating Director, with supervisory oversight over the Human Capital Management and Development, Finance and Accounts, Revenue Accounting, Facility, Security and Safety Management and Procurement Departments.
