Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has yet to bring charges against Prof. Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, Director-General of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN), despite concluding an investigation that reportedly found evidence linking her to multiple allegations of corruption, contract inflation, and abuse of office.
Multiple authoritative sources familiar with the matter told SaharaReporters that although the ICPC completed its investigation into a series of petitions against Prof. Anunobi, the agency failed to initiate prosecution, allegedly due to internal interference and high-level compromise.
The development comes amid outrage within the National Library system and civil society, especially following her reappointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second tenure, despite what insiders describe as overwhelming evidence of corruption and administrative misconduct.
ICPC Probe Report Allegedly Suppressed
According to sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, the ICPC investigation, reportedly led by an official identified as Musa Aujara, found substantial evidence warranting prosecution.
However, the report was allegedly suppressed by a recently retired Director of Proceeds of Crime within the commission.
“We were told by an insider in the ICPC that the recently retired Director of Proceeds of Crime suppressed the report of the Musa Aujara-led investigation into the corruption allegations in the National Library of Nigeria,” one source disclosed.
The source further alleged that the senior official facilitated a “soft landing” for Prof. Anunobi by recommending a recovery-based resolution instead of prosecution.
“She provided a soft landing of N10 million as a buffer of ‘sin no more’ to the National Librarian, claiming that this current administration is not after prosecution but recovery,” the source added.
Pattern of Suppression and Institutional Silence
Another insider alleged that the ICPC has continued to suppress the findings of the investigation, thereby emboldening the National Librarian and enabling the continuation of alleged financial mismanagement.
“ICPC has continued to suppress the reports of the investigation, which has given the woman enough room to continue in the path of grounding the NLN,” the source said.
“The commission should release the outcome of its investigation, which recommended prosecution. We were informed that the legal department watered down the report just to give her a soft landing.”
Despite petitions submitted to multiple government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Education, no decisive action has reportedly been taken.
Staff Allege Victimisation, Institutional Collapse
A top source within the National Library described a growing climate of fear and victimisation among staff members who have raised concerns.
“We are now being victimised. We have written to all relevant agencies with cogent facts and evidence of corrupt practices, but none of them could stop her,” the source said.
“The organisation is bleeding and on the verge of collapse. An agency of the government is in distress.”
Petition Details Massive Corruption Allegations
A detailed petition dated November 21, 2023, submitted by the National Library of Nigeria chapter of the Nigerian Union of Public Service Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processing and Allied Workers (NUPSRAW) to the ICPC chairman outlined numerous alleged infractions.
The petition, titled “Acts of Corruption, Contract Inflation, and Violation of Public Procurement Act 2007 by the National Librarian/CEO,” accused Prof. Anunobi of systemic financial recklessness and abuse of procurement processes.
Among the key allegations was the inflation of a contract for the purchase of two JAC Frison T6 4×4 pickup vehicles valued at N62,649,710. According to the petition, the vehicles were procured from Elizade Autoland with an alleged inflation of N14,274,710.
The union further alleged that the procurement violated due process, as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) approval cited by the NLN was originally issued for entirely different vehicles and vendors.
“It is surprising that these vehicles were purchased from a company not listed among those approved, and that a proforma invoice was allegedly forged to suggest competitive bidding,” the petition stated.
The document also highlighted that no public advertisement was made, and only one company was invited to submit a bid, contrary to procurement regulations.
Financial Violations and Diversion of Funds
The petition further alleged that N33.6 million was processed through personal staff accounts, in violation of financial regulations that limit such transactions to N200,000.
“This action denied the Federal Government tax revenues and breached transparency requirements under the Public Procurement Act 2007,” the petition stated.
“It is speculated that not less than N10 million from this fund was released to the National Librarian as her personal cut.”
Questionable Projects and Missing Funds
The union also raised concerns about several projects allegedly executed under Prof. Anunobi’s leadership, including the digitisation of rare materials (N67.9 million). The project was reportedly not executed as a formal contract and produced no tangible results.
“Automation projects (over N100 million): Despite large budget allocations, key departments continue to operate manually, raising concerns about misappropriation,” the union stated.
“Monitoring and evaluation (N31.4 million): Funds were allegedly routed through staff accounts and returned in cash without any official activity taking place.
“Authors and publishers’ sensitisation (N9.8 million): The event was reportedly poorly attended, with suspicions that funds were diverted.”
Procurement Abuse and Staff Manipulation
The petition further accused Prof. Anunobi of deliberately dismantling procurement safeguards by redeploying trained procurement officers and replacing them with unqualified personnel.
She was also alleged to have threatened staff members who raised concerns, warning that they could be rendered redundant.
“Procurement processes are consistently abused, with the same set of companies repeatedly awarded contracts that are poorly executed,” the petition stated.
Recruitment Fraud and Federal Character Violations
The union also accused the National Librarian of overseeing a fraudulent recruitment process in which job placements were allegedly sold for up to N2 million.
Some aggrieved applicants reportedly petitioned the police, leading to arrests within the National Library premises.
Additionally, the recruitment process was said to have violated the Federal Character principle, with a disproportionate number of hires allegedly coming from a single region.
Calls for Investigation and Prosecution
In its concluding section, the petition called for a comprehensive investigation into all procurement activities under Prof Anunobi’s administration.
In addition, it called for the “immediate prosecution of all confirmed acts of fraud, a review of the recruitment process and the enforcement of Federal Character compliance and restoration of qualified procurement officers.”
Despite these allegations and the reported ICPC findings, President Tinubu recently reappointed Prof. Anunobi for a second term, sparking widespread criticism and raising questions about the administration’s commitment to anti-corruption efforts.
Demola Bakare, former Head of Public Relations at the ICPC, said he was aware of the investigation but noted that he no longer serves as the commission’s spokesperson.
“I don’t have anything to say. I’m aware of the matter anyway, but I don’t have anything to say because I’m presently not the spokesperson. I have moved on to another role,” he said.
Mr. John Okor Odey, the current ICPC spokesperson, said he would respond later but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
“I will seek official answers to your inquiries and get back to you soon,” he said.
Mr. Vershima Dio, spokesperson for the National Library, also said he would get back but had yet to react to the allegations.