A commissioner of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Alhaji Manman Alakai, has denied collecting money from job seekers.
OsunDailyNG reported earlier that no fewer than fourteen beneficiaries of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) job racketeering have confessed to taking salaries through the Nigerian government’s Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) without working.
The House Committee chaired by Yusuf Gagdi is investigating job racketeering in the FEC following a confession of one of the commission’s workers Haruna Kolo.
The beneficiaries on Monday told the committee that their salaries were paid on the platform of the Nigerian government’s Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS).
One of the beneficiaries, Gbadamosi Jalo, told the House of Representatives committee that Kolo took him to the IPPIS office and registered him on its portal without any job placements.
A potential beneficiary of the racket, Musa Ibrahim, who appeared before the committee, said he paid some money to one Abdullahi Azareh, who acted as the linkman to the FCC commissioner representing Nasarawa State, Alhaji Manman Alakai.
Ibrahim told the House Committee that though the police in Nasarawa State arrested Azareh after a barrage of complaints and petitions, he was released upon intervention by FCC commissioners.
He noted, “We are victims of circumstances; the guy was arrested and detained for few hours because he was working with the commissioner representing Nasarawa State at the FCC.’’
However, on Tuesday, the Nasarawa FCC commissioner told the committee that he didn’t collect money to secure jobs for anyone in any Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA).
The commissioner, however, admitted that he knew Ibrahim, but he wasn’t his Assistant and has never been “my PA or work in FCC.”
Alakua explained,” A traditional ruler in Nasarawa called to inform me that one of my aides collected money from him for job slots.
”I asked that the number be tracked by the police, and I discovered it was Ibrahim. I wrote a petition to the police, and he was traced.
”When they went to his house, the police found a uniform of the Nigerian Correctional Service. He claimed that he worked there. I was told that the people he defrauded have gone to court.”
The FCC commissioner challenged the committee to investigate his account to ascertain the claim, saying,” My account is open for the committee to scrutinise since Ibrahim claimed he paid money to me for job slots.”
Responding, Gagdi said nine people have evidence of a transfer made to Ibrahim.
He said that was why Alakai was invited to appear before the committee to give evidence since he claimed he was working for him.
The committee chairman berated Musa Ibrahim for not showing up before the panel.
He said, “You can’t come and make public allegations against any public officer without coming to substantiate it.
“We have nothing to say to you further because the people making allegations are not here; if they are not acting a script, they should be here to give further evidence.
“If you cannot justify that you pay money for any job slots with evidence, we will not allow any citizens to blackmail people without facts, ”
