The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has reportedly arrested the immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, in Kaduna State.
According to a representative of the Jamoh’s family, Kazeem Olajide, the arrest of the former NIMASA DG took place last Thursday while returning from court to his residence in Kaduna.
The ICPC has yet to confirm or comment on the reasons for the arrest of Dr Jamoh, who was Director-General of NIMASA from 2020 to 2023, during which he superintended over the nation’s maritime safety and regulatory agency.
However, Olajide said Jamoh was intercepted along the way by armed men who identified themselves as operatives of the ICPC, adding that the officers were wearing jackets bearing the insignia of the anti-corruption agency.
Olajide further said that Jamoh was first taken to his home in Kaduna after he was stopped by the operatives and a search was conducted at his residence before proceeding with him to Abuja.
According to Olajide; “Jamoh was subsequently transported from Kaduna to Abuja by the ICPC operatives. The movement was carried out on the same day of the arrest.
“Since Jamoh was taken into custody, the family members have been unable to establish any form of contact with him. Jamoh has not been allowed to speak with members of his family,” he said.
Olajide also claimed that Jamoh has been denied access to his legal counsel since his arrest, stressing that the situation is quite distressing particularly with concerned over his welfare.
Olajide further said that repeated attempts by family members to find out Jamoh’s whereabouts and condition had not yielded any response, emphasising that the lack of communication has left the family uncertain about the circumstances surrounding his detention.
Expectedly, the arrest has drawn attention to Jamoh’s former position as Director General of NIMASA, a key federal government agency responsible for maritime administration and safety in the country.
Olajide could not state if Jamoh had been formally informed of any charges at the time of his arrest, adding that the family was only relying on limited information available to them since they had not been granted access to him.
No information was provided by the family as to whether Jamoh had previously been invited by the ICPC before the arrest.
For now, the only confirmation of the arrest has come from Jamoh’s family, who continue to call for access to him and his lawyers just as they want clarity from the ICPC over the status and the basis for Jamoh’s continued detention.
