The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, has faulted claims that he was in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Echono said this while reacting to the anti-corruption agency’s claim that the education fund’s boss was in its custody.
“The executive secretary of TETFund is here with us. He has been invited for questioning. He is still in custody. He was invited yesterday.” Bakare said.
“He was invited on Thursday. He has not been released. He’s still with us. The investigation is still ongoing,” the ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, told TheCable on Friday, explaining that Echono was invited on Thursday.
But debunking the claims, Echono said he was in his office, contrary to the ICPC’s claim.
“I wasn’t detained by the ICPC. I’m currently in my office. One of our directors was invited by the ICPC to tender documents. But the official has since been released,” Echono also told TheCable.
The platform on April 18, 2024, reported how TETfund awarded two contracts to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing within two months at the cost of N3.8 billion, respectively, without the approval of the federal executive council, which is required for the contract size.
The contract was to provide capacity-building courses and learning management systems to about 2 million students across higher institutions in the country.
In a rejoinder, TETFund said it did not award N7.6 billion contracts to two companies without due process.