ICPC Arrests D’banj for Alleged Fraud

By Kingsley Nweze in Abuja and Vanessa Obioha in Lagos

Nigerian famed artist Dapo Oyebanjo has been reportedly arrested over alleged fraud. 

The musician, who goes by the stage name D’banj, was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) on Tuesday on charges of fraud, THISDAY gathered.

But the commission has yet to confirm the arrest.

The public relations office of the commission, however, promised to issue a response.

“We will get back to you as soon as we have information regarding this development”, it said.

The musician, was reportedly  summoned by the agency in the past few weeks but failed to make an appearance, claiming to be busy with concerts abroad. His dodginess resulted in the agency’s celerity in arresting him on Tuesday.

The agency is interrogating the musician for his alleged culpability in the fraudulent diversion of money allocated for the N-Power project, an empowerment programme set up by the Nigerian government in 2016 to address youth unemployment and increase social development.

It is alleged that D’banj connived with some government officials to introduce ghost beneficiaries into the payroll of the scheme.  The monies paid to these accounts were allegedly found to be linked to the Kokomaster as he is fondly called.

Ghost workers/beneficiaries are not entirely new. It is a practice among compromised government officials who use this to pilfer monies from the Nigerian government.

After a thorough interrogation session, the musician was remanded and his bail plea was denied.

D’banj became a household name during his days as a member of Mo’Hits Record, together with music producer Don Jazzy. A separation led him to establish himself as a solo artist and a creative entrepreneur with platforms such as C.R.E.A.M where he rewards creative talents.