The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has rejected allegations of embezzling over $1 billion, labelling them as baseless, frivolous and false.
In a statement released on Monday, ASCSN Secretary-General, Comrade Joshua Apebo, urged members and the public to disregard the accusations made by the Nigerian Anti-Corruption Defenders Network.
The ASCSN criticised the “unfounded allegations,” questioning the feasibility of such claims.
“The amount alleged to have been embezzled vastly exceeds the union’s check-off dues between 2012 and 2022 during Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal’s tenure as Secretary-General,” Apebo stated.
He further pointed out that Lawal’s name does not appear in any of the recent publications listing Nigerians owning properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Apebo defended Lawal’s career, highlighting his distinguished service in the Nigeria Railway Corporation, the National Bureau of Statistics and the ASCSN.
He noted that Lawal’s achievements and his long tenure in the civil service should not be marred by unfounded allegations.
The ASCSN also expressed concern over the ongoing attacks from Bola-Audu Innocent, who was suspended following his arrest by the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in February 2021.
Innocent had previously accused the ASCSN leadership of various infractions, claims that were dismissed by anti-graft agencies. The ASCSN condemned Innocent’s continued attempts to undermine the association, emphasising that these allegations have been consistently disproved.
Apebo noted that those pursuing the allegations were driven by personal ambition and greed, asserting that their actions are damaging to the integrity of the association.
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