THE Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned three permanent secretaries for questioning regarding an alleged fraud involving the sale of employment forms in the state’s Office of the Head of Service.
This was as the anti-graft agency arrested two suspects in connection with the job racketeering.
The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Rimin-Gado, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano on Wednesday, June 13, ssid that investigation was ongoing to identify and prosecute those involved in the scam.
According to him, thousands of desperate job seekers have been affected by the fraud.
”Preliminary investigations have uncovered fraudulent activities at the office of the Head of Service, Civil Service Commission, Kano State Secondary Schools Board, and Health Service Management Board.
”The two suspects in custody are cooperating with the investigation, which has led to the shutdown of a fake employment portal.
”The commission is working to root out corruption and ensure justice is served in the employment fraud scandal that has defrauded thousands of job seekers,” Rimin-Gado said.
He also noted that the investigation aimed at uncovering and bringing to justice those responsible for the fraudulent sale of employment forms.
”The commission is working to prevent corruption and ensure that justice is served.
”The state government has mandated the commission to thoroughly investigate the matter and prosecute those found wanting,” Rimin-Gado said.
Nigeria, over the years, has been plagued with employment fraud and job racketeering, with many job seekers falling victim to scams promising employment in exchange for bribes or purchasing forms.
The ICIR, in August 2023, reported that the ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives investigating alleged job racketeering and mismanagement of the Integration Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) threatened to invoke its legislative power on ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government that have refused to appear before it and enforced compliance.
The committee said it had sent hearing notices through major national dailies and the MDAs’ offices to appear before it between August 24 and 31.
The affected ministries are supposed to appear before the committee within the stipulated dates.
The committee is requesting the MDAs to provide it with relevant information relating to recruitment in their agencies.
But on August 9, about 35 out of 40 MDAs reportedly failed to appear before the committee.
Gagdi said the committee would, in line with its mandate, engage with over 600 MDAs to unearth the extent of the rottenness in the federal civil service.
Also, the committee had, on Thursday, August 17, threatened to recommend sanctions to the executive arm of government on some erring personnel of the MDAs for flouting the provisions in their recruitment and staff placement.
In a related development, The ICIR on July 4 reported the plan by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe directors of MDAs over 70,000 ghost workers
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M