Nigerian Musician D’Banj Arrested For Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested and detained Afrobeats musician Oladapo Oyebanji, popularly known as D’Banj.

The 42-year-old D’Banj was arrested and detained Tuesday after ICPC operatives closed in on him, forcing him to surrender himself at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

He is accused of fraudulently diverting hundreds of millions of Naira earmarked by the Nigerian government for N-Power project, an empowerment programme set up by the Nigerian government in 2016 to address youth unemployment and increase social development.

Investigators allege that the ‘Oliver Twist’ crooner colluded with some compromised government officials to introduce ghost beneficiaries into the scheme’s payroll. The stipend paid to those beneficiaries is then paid to accounts that have now allegedly been linked to the artist.

He had allegedly dodged summons for weeks, claiming to be overseas for scheduled concerts each time he was invited to appear for interrogation over fraud allegations.

His plea for administrative bail was rejected by officials who said the musician could not be trusted to attend his trial if released on bail.