Date: 2020-06-30

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission has ordered the relocation of solar street lights from private residents in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that ICPC uncovered the sighting of solar street lights in private residents of some highly placed individuals in Ilorin.

NAN reports that ICPC is tracking over 250 projects worth N4.1 billion in its second phase of constituency and executive projects executed between 2015 and 2019 across the state.

Aminu Bala, the Team Leader of the constituency projects tracking operatives of ICPC, told newsmen on Monday that the anomalies were discovered in the highbrow Agric Settlement along Old Jebba Road and Oloje Federal Housing Estate, Ilorin

The solar street lights, according to the ICPC tracking operatives, are meant to be installed in communities for public use and not in private residents of influential individuals.

Bala said the team however ordered the immediate relocation of the facilities or payment of such by those concerned individuals.

He said failure of which the contractors would be held responsible while the owner of the residences would be prosecuted.

He said: We also uncovered the shortfall in the numbers of street lights installed in some areas against the actual numbers, which were budgeted for in the contract.

"We also decried lack of billboards at the project sites to indicate the project being executed."

NAN reports that the operatives are tracking a total number of 1,500 solar street lights among other projects across the three senatorial districts as part of the constituency projects.

The tracking is handled in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Survivors, Civil Society Organisations, Media, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bureau of Public Procurement and other stakeholders.

The exercise, which commenced on June 23, is taking place simultaneously in 16 states of the federation.

The states are Cross River, Taraba, Ekiti, Ogun, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Jigawa, Abia, Delta, Ebonyi, Niger, Rivers, Oyo and Kaduna.