Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, have detained a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh, Daily Trust reports.
Jamoh, who headed the maritime agency between 2020 and 2023, is currently in the custody of the anti-graft commission.
A source familiar with the development said the former NIMASA boss was arrested after allegedly failing to honour several invitations from the commission over petitions written against him.
According to the source, one of the petitions accused Jamoh of conferring undue advantage on himself through alleged fraudulent procurement processes during his tenure, an act said to amount to abuse of office.
“The ICPC picked him up after he failed to honour several invitations extended to him. He is being investigated for alleged abuse of office while serving as Director-General of NIMASA,” the source said.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the ICPC, John Odey, confirmed Jamoh’s arrest but declined to provide details of the allegations.
“I will get back to you as soon as I have information on the reason for his arrest,” Odey said.
NIMASA is the federal agency responsible for regulating and promoting maritime activities in Nigeria, including ensuring the safety and security of ships and vessels, protecting the marine environment and enforcing maritime laws and regulations.
Meanwhile, Jamoh had previously been linked to allegations of large-scale financial impropriety.
In 2021, he wrote to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, requesting a probe into allegations that he diverted N1.5 trillion into personal accounts.
The allegations were made by a social media commentator, Jackson Ude, who also claimed that Jamoh diverted an additional $9.5 million to another account allegedly traced to him.
In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, Ude alleged that Jamoh denied knowledge of the funds and described the claims as false.
Reacting at the time, Jamoh asked the EFCC to carry out a “thorough and painstaking” investigation into the allegations, saying it would help establish the truth and clear his name.
However, checks indicate that the EFCC did not publicly act on the petition.
