A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a Principal Manager with the National Identity Management Commission , Ms Jamila Muhammed , for failure to appear in court over allegations of corruption.

A statement from the spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission, Rasheedat Okoduwa , said the NIMC manager and a former Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission , Mounir Gwarzo, were being prosecuted by the commission over their complicity in the N12 . 8 m contract scam.

The statement said , “ Gwarzo is facing six counts bordering on abuse of office for awarding several contracts to Outbound Investment Limited , a private company where he doubled as a director even while he was DG of SEC .

“ On her own part , Ms Muhammed , as director of Outlook Communication Limited , is facing eight counts of gratification and abuse of office for running a private company while in the employment of the Federal Government , as her company was awarded contracts to the tune of N4 , 372 , 080 by SEC . ”

The commission said their actions were contrary to sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act , 2000 , and punishable under the same sections .

ICPC added that the arraignment of the two persons was slated for Tuesday, February 18 , 2020 , before Justice O . A . Adeniyi , but for the absence of Ms Muhammed , who was said to be sick and on admission at the National Hospital , Abuja .

Counsel for the ICPC , George Lawal , prayed the court to issue a bench warrant on the accused persons maintaining that there was no medical report to back the claim of ill -health by her counsel .

Justice Adeniyi ruled that Ms Muhammed should be arrested immediately and kept in the ICPC custody , while adjourning the matter till March 5 , 2020 .

Source:- Punchng