National Scout Council Suspends Past Executives of Scout Association of over corruption allegations

Dave Awunah, Babatunde Oyetayo, Chidi Ihemedu and Emmanuel Eseinne suspended indefinitely pending outcome of investigation

The National Scout Council of the Scout Association of Nigeria has suspended former executives of the association over allegations of financial missappropiation and abuse of office by the former leaders of the association.

The council, which met at the organization’s Extra Ordinary General Meeting held yesterday, at the Public Service Institute , Kubwa Abuja passed a resolution to suspend the former executives after a report on various cases of financial missappropiation against the affected members were presented on the floor of the assembly.

The allegations which hang around missappropiation of both local and foreign intervention from the organization’s world body, WOSM have triggered multi- agencies investigations led by federal anti graft agencies; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission ICPC.

The affected members served as as principal officers of the National Association between 2018 and 2024 in different capacities.

Among those suspended were Dave Awunah, who was the Chief Commissioner of the Association, Babatunde Oyetayo who was the National Executive Commissioner, Emmanuel Eseinne who was the State Scout Commissioner, Edo State Scout Council and a member of the Africa Scout Committee, Mr Chidi Ihemedu.

Allegations leveled against the outgone executives included financial missappropiation running into hundreds of millions of Naira, sales of national scout properties and abuse of office.

A correspondence sighted by our team from the World Organization of Scout Movement dated 23rd September, 2024 shows that the former executives failed to account for $40,000 intervention to the association. The World Body also asked the association to engage the services of an independent auditor to look at the association’s books whilst asking former leaders to account for the intervention funds.

Moving the motion for their suspension during the meeting of the National Scout Council, Oluwaseun Ashimolowo, a delegate from Ogun who led the debates after a presentation on current petitions filed with the antigraft agencies moved that the Council impose sanctions on the former leaders. Ashimolowo’s motion which was greeted with loud reactions from members of the council was seconded by another delegate from Katsina, Sarki Kafinter. Speaking further on the allegations of corruption, a member of the West Africa Scout Committee, Raji Bomodeoku who reacted to some of the allegations condemned the former leaders of the association for desecrating the fundamental principle of integrity known with the movement world wide.

He cautioned leaders to learn from the former leaders downfall and uphold highest level of integrity in the association to restore confidence in the association in Nigeria.

More details later

God Bless Nigeria