Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. People are cynical about the Bureau's approach to corrupt enrichment when they see political office holders flaunt illegally acquired wealth in the face of Nigerians.  What then is the Bureau's success story?

Answer: The Bureau ensures that all public officers declare their assets at the beginning and at the end of their tenure in office as well as every four (4) years while in office.  The Bureau also ensures that the assets declared are verified to establish any case of misconduct or corrupt enrichment for further necessary action.  However, the public has a very important critical role in making complaints and petitions to the Bureau for necessary investigations and prosecution of corrupt public officers.

2. What happens to public officers who seldom declare their assets even after the expiration of their tenure, and what happens to individuals who don't declare their assets?

Answer: The Bureau requests for and receives nominal roll from every Government Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA's) as a database for issuance of Assets Declaration Forms.  These forms are to be completed and returned within 30 days of receipt.  Failure to return the completed form makes an officer a defaulter and such a person is arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

3. How could over-exaggerated declaration be verified?

Answer: The Bureau carries out verification and monitoring of ADFs received.  They also employ the services of professionals where necessary to ascertain the true value of assets of Public Officers under investigation.  The process also involves the determination of all assets declared and Bank Account of Spouses and children.

4. Does the Bureau focus on the private sector, since most of the the crimes are private sector driven?

Answer: No, because the Bureau's mandate is restricted to public officers.  The ICPC and EFCC powers cover the private sector.

5. What has the Bureau done to track down past Governors, Presidents and Political Office Holders who have been accused of illicit wealth acquisition, since they are no longer protected by the immunity clause in the constitution?

Answer: Where a petition is received on any Political Office Holder, the Bureau investigates such cases and takes necessary action with regards to the outcome of investigation.

6. Does the CCB collaborate with other professionals in the anti-corruption campaign to facilitate the fight?

Answer: Yes, the Bureau cannot carry out its mandate without the support of relevant agencies.  The Bureau calls for petitions from the public and sensitize the public through its public enlightenment programmes.  The Bureau also works in collaboration with other organisations such as ICPC, EFCC, PCC, Zero Coalition TUGAR and the mass media.

7. Why is the Bureau not using leads provided in the media to investigate alleged cases of corruption?

Answer: The Bureau bases its operations on facts and credible information, because it is not a witch hunting organization.

8. Is President Yar Adua's act of declaring his Assets publicly contradictory with the constitutional requirement?

Answer: No, because the Constitution states that you must declare your Assets to the CCB but the decision to make it public is a personal decision pending when the Constitution gives public access to such declarations.

9. Is the CCB independent as the Anti-Corruption Agencies in Hong Kong?

Answer: The Government does not interfere with the working of the Bureau, though financially, the Bureau is not independent.  It goes through the normal process of budgetary allocation as most other Agencies of Government.

10. How does the Bureau carry out verification exercise?

Answer: In three ways: First, is the examination that is carried out at the point of submitting the Assets Declaration Form.  Second, is during individual or conference verification when documents are cited for authentication.  Third, is when there is a need for field investigation when an offer goes to the field to see the houses, the landed properties etc.

11. How does the CCB handle the cases of anticipatory Declaration?

Answer: Such a case can be discovered during the verification or through a petition.  In either case, it is investigated and when necessary taken to the Tribunal.

12. CCB has been accused of selective justice in its operational procedure; does it not amount to corruption?

Answer: The Bureau works on petitions received from the public, using the Petition Screening Committee (PSC) for professionalism, transparency, justice  and fair play.  Parties are given the opportunity to state their case in line with the principle of fair hearing.

13. What are the effects of immunity clause on the mandate of CCB?

Answer: Immunity clause affects the investigation and prosecution of breaches of the Code by political office holders because of the elements of delay involved.

14. What are the consequences of the CCT's indictment?

Answer:
(A) Removal from office.
(B) Disqualification from the mebership of legislative house and from holding of any public office for a period not exceeding ten years and
(C) Seizure by the State of any property acquired in abuse or corruption of office.

15. Why can't the CCB orientate Nigerians on issues of morality?

Answer: The Bureau organizes public enlightenment programmes for Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government and the genreal publicn at Federal, States and Local Government levels.

The Bureau also organizes such programmes as public Forum, Children's Forum, Radio programmes, TV programmes etc as well as the use of Bill Boards and other outdoor advertisements to reinforce its enlightenment programmes.

16. There is no express provision against public officers who engage in private business in the Act.  Is this not a lacuna?

Answer: There is nothing in our laws restricting a public officer from investing or acquiring interest in private business.  However, a public officer is prohibited from the running of any private business, profession or trade; these are the wordings of paragraph 2 (b) to the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution and section 6 (b) Cap 15 LFN 2004.

The breach of this provision is tried at the Tribunal for appropriate sanction.

17. has the EFCC not taken over the Bureau's mandate?

Answer: The mandate of the Bureau is to establish a high standard of morality in the conduct of Government business and to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability.  To implement this mandate, section 3 part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic gives it the power to:

(a) Receive declarations by the public officers made under paragraph 11 of part 1 of the 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution;

(b) Examine the declarations in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct or any law;

(c) Retain custody of such declarations and make them available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the National Assembly may prescribe;

(d) Ensure compliance with & where appropriate, enforce the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law relating therein;

(e) Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law in relation thereto, investigate the complaint and where appropriate, refer such matter to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

18.  Does the declaration of assets by husband and wife not amount to duplication?

Answer: No, every public officer, both husband and wife is required to declare his/her assets as stipulated by law.  They are obliged to obtain, fill and submit Assets declaration Forms to CCB.

19. What has the Bureau done with regards to alerting people on when their declaration has expired since the Bureau is computerized?

Answer: The Bureau sensitizes public officers on when to declare their assets.  It is also working on the idea of using text messages and stamps with next due dates.

20. How much should a public officer have in his/her account before he/she officially declares for any political office?

Answer: Any amount but he/she must not operate foreign account during the tenure of office.

21. What is the fate of an individual who actually aided and abetted a crime and is unable to be linkled to such?

Answer: The arm of the laws is long enough to catch up with every criminal.  That is why we continue to appeal to the public to make useful information available to the Bureau on any suspected case of corruption.

22.  Is the CCB independent as that of Hong Kong?

Answer: The Government does not interfere with the work of the Bureau though the Bureau is not financially independent.

23. Is there any link between what the Bureau is doing and the corruption that takes place in the education sector?

Answer: The Bureau has the strategy of reaching out to all public officers irrespective of the sector and to the Children and Youth who are the future public officers.

24. Are Nigerian workers being paid a minimum wage?  Why is there a big disparity between the political office holders and the Civil Servants with reference to allowances and salaries, because this breeds corruption?

Answer: This is outside the mandate of the Bureau.  However, Government is working gradually to harmonize salaries and allowances of public officers.

25. What is the Bureau doing about those (political office holders) that served in the past administration (1999-2003)?

Answer: The Bureau ensures that all political office holders declare their assets in accordance with the law.  These are examined, verified and investigated where necessary.  The Bureau also takes appropriate action where there is complaint or petition on any political office holder who is or has served the government.

26.  Why is there poor service delivery to the public?

Answer: Because public Officers including Civil Servants do not internalize the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and such other laws as the Public Service Rules, Financial Regulations and the Service Compact with Nigerians (SERVICOM)

27. Why is there inadequate enlightenment on public Service Reforms?

Answer: Enlightenment is an ongoing process.

28. How can the Civil servants who work directly under Political Office Holders check the excesses of Political Office Holders?

Answer: This can be done by reporting any case or cases of breach to the Code.