What is going on in the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)? Could it be that the hunter has become the hunted or that the hunter’s hunting dogs are in such disarray that the job of hunting has been abandoned? Last week, six commissioners of the CCB petitioned the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions accusing the chairman, Prof Mohammed Isah, of blocking investigations on petitions against civil and public servants. At the senate hearing, five of the petitioners were present, while Prof. Isah was absent.

For the sake of the commission which he heads, Prof Isah must quickly and publicly answer the charges raised by the commissioners. He must bear in mind that The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act establishing the commission provides that: “the aims and objectives of the Bureau shall be to establish and maintain a high standard of morality in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the actions and behaviours of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability.”

The allegation by the commissioners that Prof Isah has become a clog in the fight against corruption deserves an investigation by the senate and other relevant agencies of government. One of the petitioners, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, alleged that: “The N109bn loot linked to the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, was first reported to CCB through petitions, but prevented from being acted upon by the chairman.” It is bad enough to be accused of corruption, but to allegedly shield corrupt public officials is grievous.

The functions of the CCB are fundamental in the fight against corruption. Section 3 of the act provides the functions to be: receive assets declarations by public officers in accordance with the provisions of the act; examine the assets declarations and ensure that they comply with the requirements of this act and any law for the time being in force; take and retain custody of such assets declarations, and receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this act and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by section 20 of the act.

The Senate must therefore, wield the big stick against Prof. Isah if he fails to appear to clear himself. If he appears and is unable to exonerate himself, then, President Muhammadu Buhari must intervene. The Act provides in section 4(2) that “the power to appoint members of staff of the Bureau and to exercise disciplinary control over them shall vest in the Bureau, and shall be exercisable in accordance with the provisions of rules and regulations as may, from time to time, be made by the President.”

The senate must not appear helpless in the exercise of their power in dealing with public complaints. It is within their remit to summon public officers, and where they fail to appear, to issue a warrant of arrest. The observation of the chairman of the committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, that “The commissioners are here, but the chairman, who is in the eye of the storm, is not here. We’ve gone through all the issues raised in the jointly signed petition by the commissioners and they’re very disturbing if eventually proven, “should spur the senate to action.

The modest efforts of the Buhari regime in the fight against corruption must not be further tainted by the allegation that its hunting dog has become enamored of friendship with devourers. Buhari’s military-era mantra that we must kill corruption before it kills Nigeria, should be pursued with all vigour. And we urge that there should be no sacred cows in the war on corruption.

Update news