ICPC Arrests D’banj For Misappropriating N-Power Funds

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) has arrested and detained Oladapo his Oyebanji (better known by his stage name D’banj), PREMIUM TIMES exclusively report.

The musician was arrested and detained on Tuesday after ICPC agents approached him at the ICPC’s headquarters in the Nigerian capital of Abuja and forced him to surrender.

According to insiders, D’banj has been dodging subpoenas for weeks, claiming to be overseas for a scheduled concert each time he is questioned on fraud charges.

Wealthy Nigerian celebrities and pop stars have received hundreds allocated by the Nigerian government for the N-Power Project, an empowerment program launched in 2016 to combat youth unemployment and promote social development. He has been accused of illegally diverting Naira.

Investigators allege that D’banj worked with compromised government officials to add ghost beneficiaries to the system’s payroll. Scholarships paid to these beneficiaries will now be paid to an account allegedly linked to the pop star.

After the musician failed to attend questioning despite repeated invitations, the ICPC arranged for him to be arrested across Nigeria and abroad, and turned him in to the commission’s office on Tuesday.

Upon arrival, D’banj was subjected to lengthy questioning and then arrested. His bail request was denied by authorities, who said the musician could not be trusted to attend his trial if he was released on bail.

Our sources say the ICPC approached the court on Wednesday and could request an extension of pretrial detention to allow the agency to complete an investigation before taking the musician to court. be. Azca Ogugua, a spokeswoman for the ICPC, was not available for comment for this article. She plans to participate in a program abroad. The musician in custody was also not reached for comment

His 42-year-old D’banj, also known as Kokomaster, died on June 9, 1980 in Zaria, Kaduna State, northwestern Nigeria, with a military officer commanding an artillery regiment and a man from Shagam, Ogun State, South Africa. Born into a business family. West Nigeria) has his profile on Wikipedia.

The musician has twin brothers – Taiwo and Kehinde Oyebanjo.

A songwriter, singer, rapper and television personality, his D’banj has been active in Nigeria’s vibrant music scene since 2004. He sings Afrobeat, Hip Pop, Pop and R&B.