The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has announced that it may be forced to arrest and possibly prosecute at least 19 Ministers and Heads of Agencies in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for non-compliance with procedures of declaring their assets.

According to a statement issued by the CCB Chairman, Sam Saba, the 19 federal government appointees have so far not honoured invitations to appear before the Bureau to clear their asset declaration claims.

The CCB boss noted the bureau has invited some serving ministers and heads of agencies among others over “issues” pertaining to their asset declaration requirements, but most of them have failed to respond.

The asset declaration defaulters, according to CCB include Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Mine and Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of State Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu; Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu.

Still on the list of defaulters are; Minister Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan; Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung; Minister Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma; Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Mansur; Minister of State, Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril; Minister of Water Resources and Rural Development, Suleiman Adamu; Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed and Minister of State Power, Mustapha Baba Shehuri.

Other defaulters are; Chairman, Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro; CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele; Minister of State Solid Minerals, Abubakar Bawa Bwari and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.

The bureau said it has also invited Minister of State Niger Delta Affairs, Claudius Daramola; MD. Nigeria Ports Authority, Hadiza Usman; MD/CEO AMCON, Ahmed Kuru; Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole; Minister of Trade Investment and Industry, Okechukwu Enelamah and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema for asset declaration.

The CCB however praised some top officials of the Nigerian government like the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for promptly complying with the asset declaration protocol within the stipulated time.

Other top public office holders that were also praised for not delaying the declaration of their assets include the acting MD/CEO Niger Delta Development Commission, Semenitari Mary –Gab Tamunoibim; Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corp, Boboye Oyeyemi; Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed and the Commissioner, Federal Civil Service Commission, Hope Odhuluma Ikrirko.

The CCB also hailed persons like the former SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister Budget & National Planning, Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna, Minister Trade, Investment & Industry, Aisha Abubakar; INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood; and Former Executive Secretary NUC, Julius A. Okojie; as well as the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

“CCB however, commends those public officers, who honoured its invitations promptly and submitted themselves for the exercise!” Saba said, adding that more ministers, including the Attorney General of the Federation, had been sent letter of invitation by CCB, and it has not been confirmed if they would honour the invite when it comes to their turn to appear before the Bureau.