Introduction:
The following is the full, unedited text of a press briefing delivered by Dr Abdul Mahmud Esq, Managing Partner of Liberty Semper Fidelis LP, on behalf of his client, Mr. Martins Oghenerhoro Richard Atijegbe, a whistleblower from the Federal Ministry of Works. The statement details allegations of a concerted campaign against him after he exposed alleged employment racketeering and illegal enrollments into the IPPIS system.
Verbatim Statement
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, thank you for your presence.
We are here today, not merely to speak for one man, but to sound the alarm on a systemic rot that threatens the foundations of our nation. This is about more than a career—it is about the integrity of our public institutions, the protection of truth-tellers, and the sanctity of our Constitution.
We represent Mr. Martins Oghenerhoro Richard Atijegbe, a Senior Executive Officer, SGL O9, of the Federal Ministry of Works, who is the victim of a carefully orchestrated campaign of fraud, abuse of power, criminal conspiracy, and defamation. His offence? Having the courage to expose a cabal of employment racketeering and illegal enrollments into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), at the ministries Headquarters. Ladies and gentlemen, this is corruption fighting back.
Background of the Whistleblower
Our client, Mr. Atijegbe (File No. WAB 88279), is a dedicated career officer. He is not a political opportunist but a public servant who has served his country faithfully. In July 2020, compelled by the fraud he witnessed—including officers with fake appointment letters being documented and enrolled into IPPIS—he raised the alarm. His petition, dated July 27, 2020, was sent to the then-Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, with copies sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, The Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, the Minister of Labour and Employment, and the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission, (ICPC).
He acted transparently, not for personal gain, but in defence of the intergrity of the public service.
A Compromised Investigation
In response, the Minister established an eight-man investigative committee. While this seemed to be a positive step in the right direction, the process was fatally flawed.
One of its members was Mrs Morayo S. Alimi, who until her retirement in 2019, was the head of the cabal and Director of Human Resources Management, the same department where this employment racketeering thrived. Her appointment to the committee, (was aimed at protecting herself and her cohorts, in the person of Mrs. Bosede Omoniyi Franklin, Mr. Hamisu Hassan Ibrahim, Mr. John Omini, Mr. Okoshi Odeh, Mr Richard Dokotri Etc) violated the fundamental principle of natural justice, nemo judex in causa sua: no one should be a judge in their own cause. As the Supreme Court affirmed in Garba v. University of Maiduguri (1986), this principle is foundational, not ornamental.
Our client rightly asked Mrs Morayo S. Alimi to recuse herself. She refused and allegedly subjected him to hostility and intimidation. Thus, the committee’s credibility was destroyed from the onset.
Systemic Violations of Fair Hearing
The investigation was riddled with breaches of Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing. These breaches include:
These violations render the committee’s findings incurably defective, null, and void, as established in Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee v. Fawehinmi (1985).
The Real Agenda: Persecution, Not Protection
Let us be clear: this is corruption fighting back. The Ministry targeted the whistleblower instead of investigating the criminals who infiltrated the IPPIS payroll, and those who enabled them. In violation of Nigeria’s commitments under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), he was maligned, demoted, and banished.
The Ministry’s communication to the Senate accused him of blackmail and extortion, yet he was never formally charged or tried before a disciplinary body. This is character assassination, not due process.
Threats to Life and Safety
The persecution extends beyond his career. His punitive posting to the FCT Field Office in Gwagwalada is an exile intended to silence and isolate him. It has placed his safety at risk. Yet, our client remains resolute, declaring: “This is corruption fighting back, but I will not be silenced.”
The Wider Implications
This case is a microcosm of a larger decay within the core civil service. When individuals with vested interests staff investigative committees, justice is dead on arrival. When government ministries become racketeering syndicates, public trust is destroyed. When whistleblowers are persecuted, corruption wins.
This is not just about Martins Atijegbe. It is about the soul of our civil service.
Our Demands
On behalf of our client, we demand:
A Call to the National Assembly
We call upon the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions and the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to exercise their constitutional powers under Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution. Investigate this matter. Expose the corruption. To do otherwise is to endorse impunity.
Conclusion
Ladies and gentlemen, this case is a test for Nigeria. Will we reward courage or punish it? Will our institutions protect truth-tellers or destroy them?
The Constitution is clear. Justice demands action. Our client deserves protection, not persecution; vindication, not victimisation.
We at Liberty Semper Fidelis LP will pursue this matter in every forum—the legislature, the courts, and the court of public opinion. As Justice Kayode Eso stated, “The principles of natural justice are not for decoration; they are meant to secure justice.”
We urge the Nigerian people and the press to support us. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Thank you.
