Prof. Shola Adepoju: EFCC squeezes Tinubu’s appointee over alleged corruption during tenure as FRIN DG

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), interrogated Prof. Shola Olatunde Adepoju, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti, on Tuesday over corruption allegations tied to his tenure as Director General of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Adepoju, who served as FRIN Director-General from March 2015 to March 2023, is accused of diverting government properties during his tenure.

Despite these allegations, he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024 to his current role.

According to sources, Adepoju was initially invited by the EFCC in August to respond to the allegations but only honored the invitation this Tuesday.

A document obtained by News360 Nigeria revealed that the EFCC summoned Adepoju to its Ibadan office a month after his appointment as Chairman to address the alleged fraudulent activities under his watch as FRIN boss.

He was invited to the Commission’s office through a letter dated August 12, 2024 with Ref CR: 3000/EFCC/IB/SIT/FIR/VOL.2/069. The letter was signed by Hauwa G. Ringim, Ag. Zonal Director, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The invitation which was addressed to the current Director General of FRIN stated, “This Commission is investigating a case in which the name of the above mentioned Former Director General of your organization, featured.

“In view of the above. you are kindly requested to inform him to attend an interview with the undersigned through SIT Team on Monday, 26th August, 2024 at No: 16A Reverend Oyebode Crescent, lyoganku GRA Ibadan. Oyo State.”

The EFCC had in a previous letter to Adepoju with Ref CR: 3000/EFCC/IB/SIT/FIR/VOL.1/069 dated April 22, 2024, titled: “Investigation Activities,” asked him to furnish the commission with the account details in which payments were received, citing an earlier communication.

In the letter signed by ACE II Hassan Saidu, FDC for then Ag. Zonal Director, Ibadan, the commission noted that the request was made pursuant to Section 38(1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment Act, 2004 and Section 24 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. 2022.

“Our letter with Ref: CR: 3000/EFCC/IB/SIT/FIR/VOL1/032 dated 19th March, 2024 and your response with Ref:CG.516/1/33 dated 4th April, 2024 refers.

“In view of the above, you are further requested to furnish us with the account details in which the payments were received as requested in our earlier letter,” the letter partly read.

However, a source privy to the case told News360 Nigeria that Adepoju finally showed face on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at Ibadan Zonal office, about a month after his invitation date.

According to the source, the President’s appointee was grilled on various allegations bordering on diverting government properties, specifically exotic vehicles meant for the institute’s operations, in collusion with the institute’s human resources director, Olufemi Michael Hastrup.

Meanwhile, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, on Thursday, confirmed to SaharaReporters that Adepoju was interrogated at their Ibadan office. He explained that the commission has commenced full investigation into all the allegations against him.

“He has honoured the invitation. He came on Tuesday; he was interviewed and he was allowed to go. When we commence investigation like that, he will always interact with us.

“If we need anything from him, we will call him. Since he has come around and we have started investigation; as the investigation continues, when we will still need him, he will come,” Oyewale said.

Meanwhile, a source had told SaharaReporters that the former FRIN boss had started making attempts to lobby the new EFCC boss, Olanipekun Olukoyede.

“Some staff members of the institute who conspired with him have also been invited and they have made useful confessional statements,” the source said.

“He’s doing everything including using his connection in the Redeemed Christian Church of God to influence and undermine the investigation process as the chairman of the commission is a member of the RCCG.”

When contacted for comments, Adepoju claimed he was away when the invitation was sent in August and that he later honoured the invitation.

When asked why he refused to honour the EFCC invitation in August, he said, “I am a law-abiding person, how can an authority set-up invite me and I will not honour it? The invitation was in August and I think my lawyer replied that I wasn’t around and they fixed, I think 6th or 9th September but they said that they would not be around and they fixed 23rd and 24th September.

“I was in their office up to Tuesday evening (September 24) and I am back in my base. I was with the EFCC throughout on Tuesday.”

On the issue of the exotic cars Adepoju allegedly sold to himself, he confirmed that it was part of the focus of the EFCC interrogation.

“That is the allegation they made to EFCC. They (EFCC) are investigating it and I can’t talk about it until they finish their investigation, let me not be prejudice to their investigation.”

As FRIN boss, Adepoju was at multiple times accused of awarding fraudulent contracts without recourse to procedure and due process.

A source in the agency had told News360 Nigeria that he ran the agency like a personal estate.

“The Director-General, Professor Adepoju Olusola has been found doing the following; withholding of staff deductions (Contributions of over N50,000,000) to co-operative society for the month of October 2020. Confirmed by IPPIS,” a source had told our correspondents.

“Illegal removal or deduction from salaries of staff (This is done randomly) with no reason, explanation and move to refund (He does not listen to anyone) for same October, 2020.

“Flouting of civil service rule in relation to promotion of staff. In the year 2020, promotion exercise was conducted, over 30%-40% of staff denied promotion even though they passed the examination, but he claimed there was no vacancy.

“By January 2021, this year, those who got promoted received their letters and were promoted appropriately. To our amazement, by June 2021, part of those promoted and served their letters were given another promotion. We found out that they are his partners in crime in the institute.

“Imagine, someone got promoted to Grade Level 11 in January 2021 and received another promotion in June 2021 to Grade Level 13, in the space of five months.

“All efforts to have him explain this move proved abortive as he will never give room for questioning. He’s above the law and people are afraid to challenge him.”

Our sources also learnt that in 2020, Adepoju returned N17 million, part of the over N50 million meant for cooperative societies in the institution which was diverted in the same year.

Documents seen by News360 Nigeria showed that the N17 million was returned on January 23, 2022, by the then FIRN boss into a Stanbic IBTC Bank account numbered – 0012099396.

A recent report by Foundation of Investigative Journalism also revealed how Adepoju allegedly diverted government properties before leaving office in March 2024

According to FIJ, some exotic vehicles purchased for the smooth operations of the institute were diverted by the former FRIN DG and Olufemi Michael Hastrup, the institute’s human resources director.

“Few months to the expiration of Adepoju’s second term, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing undertook an inspection and valuation of some vehicles belonging to FRIN,” the report read.

“According to a document exclusively obtained by FIJ, five vehicles were inspected and valued at disingenuously low rates. The mechanical division of the works ministry valued two Toyota Prado cars, a Toyota Hilux, a Volkswagen Bettle and a Kia Cerato at ridiculous amounts.

“While the first valuation report containing details of the two Prado and Hilux vehicles bearing the stamp of the mechanical division was dated December 12, 2022, the second report bore the stamp of the Federal Comptroller of Works of the same works ministry and was undated.

“As stated in the reports, the Toyota Prado purchased in 2019 at the rate of N78 million with the chassis number JTEBU3PFJ1KK172524 was determined to be worth N7 million.

“The second Toyota Prado acquired in 2013 for N21 million with the chassis number JTEBU9FJ1D5002342 was determined to be worth N800,000.