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I collected money from job-seekers for FCC chairman, ex-staffer alleges

Published

1 year ago

August 7, 2023

A former staff member of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Mr Haruna Kolo, has alleged that job seekers paid millions of naira into his personal account for remission to the commission’s Chairman, Mrs Farida Dankaka.

Kolo said this on Monday in Abuja at the resumed investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee probing job racketeering in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government.

The committee is also probing the alleged mismanagement of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) in MDAs.

Kolo said he usually approached the Point of Sale (POS) agents to collect the money in cash to deliver to the chairman.

He further said that Dankaka appointed him as her Chief Protocol, while he was working in FCC.

Kolo, who now works with the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), said that he saw the allegation against him, regarding job racketeering, in the media.

He said some of those who came to seek for job in the commission paid between N1 million and N5 million naira, depending on the MDAs.

He denied having been involved in job racketeering, alleging that he only acted on the instruction of Dankaka, who was allegedly receiving the money in cash.

According to him, she often gave me verbal instruction in respect of people paying for jobs and lodgment after the collection of the agreed amount.

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“The money is always sent to my account, which I subsequently cashed and send to her in cash,” he said.

Kolo said his redeployment to AMCON was with the knowledge of the chairman of the commission.

”My going to AMCON was her personal favour to me and others that left FCC at the time,” he said.

He, however, accused the chairman of going after him, when her sister was rejected at AMCON due to age factor.

Kolo said the sister in question was already 51 at the time she was offered the job at AMCON.

He said that he had been receiving several calls threatening his life and sought the protection of the committee.

He warned that the FCC chairman should be held responsible, should anything sinister happen to him.

Kolo also said that the chairman’s claim that FCC had not carried out recruitment since her assumption of office was not true.

He said that as a desk officer of IPPIS in FCC, he could confirm that the commission carried out recruitments at different times.

“I am the desk officer of IPPIS for FCC and over 300 employment letters were issued but those captured by FCC were few,” he said.

In a swift reaction to Kolo’s allegations, Dankaka said she never collected any money from Kolo as alleged.

She further said that it was a conspiracy between him and the other commissioners to tarnish her image.

Disturbed by the barrage of allegations, Dankaka immediately brought out a copy of the Holy Qur’an and swore never to have collected any money from Kolo as proceeds of job racketeering.

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“I have never asked him to collect money from job seekers for me,” she said.

Responding to the issues, the Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, told Kolo that the committee was in possession of evidence that he had N38.5 million in his account, which was withdrawn from POS.

He also said that N75 million was in Kolo’s accounts in Access Bank, UBA and Eco Bank as a proceed of job racketeering

”Kolo was serving as a front for collecting money for job recruitments in the commission as against the service’ financial regulation and the extant law.

”The record I have about your account you don’t even have and the record of your service I have.

“We are not giving any judgment in FCC, we are still investigating.

”This committee will have to be judicial in nature.

“We knew why we asked Kolo to give us evidence and we must come out straight.

“We aren’t even talking about racketeering in other MDAs.

“Kolo you are not supposed to leave here without being arrested.

“As a civil servant, you are not supposed to have such huge amount in your account,” the committee chairman said.

Related Topics:Farida Dankaka FCC Featured Federal Character

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We didn’t arrest Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Sokoto governor – Police

Published

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Governor Ahmed Aliyu and Hamdiyya Sidi

We didn’t arrest Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Sokoto governor – Police

The Sokoto Police Command has refuted claims circulated by an online platform alleging that Hamdiyya Sidi was arrested and detained for criticizing Governor Ahmed Aliyu.

Labeling the reports as baseless, police officials clarified that Sidi was detained following a complaint lodged against her for allegedly inciting public unrest.

In a statement issued by the Sokoto State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Ahmed Rufai, the police detailed that Sidi allegedly admitted to inciting residents to violence during questioning.

According to the statement, Sidi allegedly presented herself as a humanitarian seeking to assist local residents with donations, but later used the platform to incite them, prompting law enforcement action.

The statement read: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force, Sokoto Command, has been drawn to the ongoing falsehood and misinformation circulated by social media handles on the purported story that the Nigeria Police, Sokoto Command, secretly arrested and arraigned a woman who lamented on the recent rise in killings in Sokoto for embarrassing Governor Aliyu Ahmed Sokoto. This is false and misleading.”

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The statement continued to clarify the situation, explaining: “On the 3rd of November 2024 at 1700hrs, Marafa Yakubu, the village head of Sabon Birnin Daji village in Wurno Local Government Area, reported to the police that a woman, later identified as Hamdiyya Sidi from Munki village in the same local government, had visited the area, claiming to represent a charity aimed at assisting women and youth. She reportedly requested to address women in the community, intending to distribute aid to those in need.

“However, instead of distributing relief items as promised, she began encouraging the women to forcibly seize government properties in Wammako Local Government Area, claiming ownership rights over them.”

Yakubu observed the rising tension among community members and alerted local guards, who detained Sidi and subsequently handed her over to the police. “During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the offence and was charged to court within 24 hours for the offence of inciting disturbance,” the statement added.

The Sokoto Police emphasized, “One of our constitutional responsibilities is to investigate crimes, both minor and major, and the case of Hamdiyya is no exception.”

The Commissioner of Police advised residents to carefully consider the information they share publicly, warning against the spread of misinformation that could disrupt the state’s peace.

“Sokoto State Police Command remains committed to protecting fundamental human rights while carrying out its duties,” the statement concluded.

We didn’t arrest Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Sokoto governor – Police

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Four varsity lecturers dismissed for sexual misconduct

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Four varsity lecturers dismissed for sexual misconduct

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According to reports, the decision was made during the council’s Second Meeting on Thursday, following a thorough investigation into the accusations that surfaced last year.

Led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the council commended the university’s management for adhering to due process in investigating the claims of examination misconduct and sexual harassment against the lecturers involved.

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Ndoma-Egba stated, “The council will not tolerate any unethical conduct in the university” and called for prompt resolution of other pending misconduct cases, particularly one within the Faculty of Science that has gained media attention.

In a caution to staff and lecturers, the council emphasized its commitment to addressing any form of student molestation and urged students to report incidents of misconduct without fear.

Four varsity lecturers dismissed for sexual misconduct

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

Published

15 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.