FG suspends civil servant linked with forfeited 86 cars
Top officials in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHoCSF) have confirmed the suspension of the Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Ibrahim Tumsah.
He was suspended over investigation concerning ‘abuse of office and illegal enrichment.’
The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property in a letter addressed to the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred OyoIta and dated February 23 requested the suspension of Tumsah, who was said to be the owner of 86 cars recently forfeited to the government.
A copy of the letter by our reporters, was to Oyo-Ita cited copied President Muhammadu Buhari and stamped received on February 23 by the office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
In the letter, the panel said in line with the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act, it was investigating a case against Tumsah and his brother, Tijjani Musa Tumsah, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative.
The panel said in the course of its investigation, a search warrant was executed on a property belonging to the Tumsah brothers and the search warrant led to the discovery of “86 brand new vehicles of different makes including 23 armoured vehicles, four choice property within FCT and seven containers with assorted items stocked in them.”
Following this discovery, an FCT High Court granted an interim forfeiture order and the Tumsah brothers were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for failure to declare their assets, the letter said.
Citing paragraphs 030404(i) and 030406 of the Public Service Rules (2008), the panel wrote, “It is pertinent as the Head of Service of the Federation, for the panel to crave your indulgence to suspend or direct the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to cause the suspension of Ibrahim Musa Tumsah from office pending the final outcome of the charge against him.”
When contacted the spokeswoman of the HoCSF, Mrs Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, said she was yet to get details of the development and would reach out to our reporter if there was a development on the matter.