Metro

Court jails 3 civil servants over collection of salaries of 15 ghost workers for 4 years

Published

11 months ago

March 1, 2024

Naijablitz

An FCT High Court on Wednesday, sentenced three civil servants to six years imprisonment each for payroll fraud.

The convicts are Justin Itemoagbo, Dayo Aliyu and Sylvanus Ojeifo.

A fourth officer, Dayang Jacob, was discharged and acquitted.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dragged them to court on a 32-count charge of criminal conspiracy, theft and cheating by impersonation.

Delivering judgement, Justice Peter Kekemeke sentenced them after going through their evidence and that of the prosecution.

“In totality, the evidence of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants collapsed like a pack of cards. I, therefore, find the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants guilty as charged. The 4th defendant is found not guilty. He is accordingly discharged and acquitted,” the judge ruled.

All the defendant’s counsel pleaded for leniency and urged the court to tamper justice with mercy and give the convicts option of fine.

Responding, the prosecution submitted that the sentencing is left at the discretion of the court.

The judge held that the plea of all the defendants counsel is moving and that the prosecution relied on the discretion of the court.

The judge said: “The defendants are all approaching 60 years of age. They are aged. They have been out of job for eight years.

“I shall have mercy on them, God does not require the death of a sinner but that all should come unto repentance.

“In count 1, the three defendants are sentenced to 2 years imprisonment or option of N500,000 each.

“In counts 2 to 23, they are to serve another two years on each count or N1 million fine.

“Count 24, 25 and 26 are against the 1st defendant, he is sentenced to one year imprisonment without option of fine in each count.

“The 2nd defendant is sentenced to one year in count 27, 29, 30 and 31 respectively without option of fine.

“For the count 32, the three defendants were sentenced to a year in prison or N500,000 fine.”

The prosecution said they do not know the exact amount of the Federal Government money that was paid as salaries to the defendants.

“In the circumstance, this court cannot order a refund of federal government money paid as salaries,” he said.

The defendants were arraigned in the court for payroll fraud they committed between 2012 and 2015.

They were accused of smuggling about 15 names of either deceased workers or retired ones and collected their salaries every month.

The first defendant worked with human resources department, Federal ministry of works while the second defendant worked at the help desk officers, office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

The third defendant worked at the nominal roll and manpower budget office of the Federal Ministry of Works.

Metro

State security operatives rescue three pastors, 13 others in Kogi

Published

18 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Naijablitznews

Kogi security operatives on Wednesday rescued three pastors and 13 other victims who had been kidnapped by hoodlums in the Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 16 victims, including the three pastors, were abducted after a crusade in Ejule, Ofu LGA.

They regained their freedom following the intervention of a combined team of security personnel in the state.

The pastors, who were guest ministers at the crusade, were on their way to their guest house after the second day of the three-day event.

They were ambushed by hoodlums around 11 p.m. on Monday, January 20, on a street off the Ejule-Anyigba road.

Upon being alerted, the Nigerian Army quickly mobilised other security operatives, launching a thorough search that lasted two nights before locating the kidnappers in a forest.

After a two-hour gunfight, the kidnappers fled with varying degrees of injury, leaving behind the victims.

Kogi’s Deputy Governor, Joel Salifu, on Wednesday lauded the bravery of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies involved in the rescue.

In a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Emmanuel Unubi, Salifu expressed his relief that the victims were safely freed and commended the security personnel for their efforts.

He also emphasised that under Gov. Ahmed Ododo, Kogi would not be a safe haven for criminals, noting the state’s commitment to maintaining security and protecting lives and property.(NAN)

Metro

EFCC arrests 37 suspected internet fraudsters in Awka

Published

22 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said they have arrested 37 suspected internet fraudsters.

The commission stated that the all-male suspects were arrested in a sting operation at Commissioners’ Quarters, Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State.

According to a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, EFCC said that the development followed credible intelligence linking the suspects to fraudulent internet activities.

The commission listed the items recovered from them to include six exotic cars, laptops and mobile phones.

“They will be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the statement concluded.

Metro

Gov Alia locks out hundreds of Benue workers for late coming

Published

23 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Several hundred civil servants in Benue State who arrived late to work on Wednesday were locked out by stern-looking security personnel assigned to the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.

At approximately 10:35 AM on Wednesday, the governor made an unscheduled visit to the state secretariat to inspect ongoing renovation work, including the installation of lighting.

As soon as the convoy of the governor drove into the secretariat, the gates were locked by security officers leading to hundreds of state civil servants locked out.

To the governor’s surprise, during his tour from one ministry to another, he found that several commissioners and other key officials were absent from work.

Angered by this situation, the governor later addressed a large crowd of workers gathered at the gate after his inspection.

He expressed deep concern about their attitudes towards government work and warned them against failing to fulfil their responsibilities for the salaries they receive.

According to the governor, “With what you are doing, you are creating a vicious circle for your families. You cannot get money and be uplifted because you are cheaters and because of the effect of what you are doing.

“The work I do is not for me, but for those who don’t know that am the governor and those who will see me and not recognize me.

“Am appealing to you because I have a quick way of getting your names and firing you as I have the power to do so. I am speaking to you as a priest and not as governor and telling you the dangers of what you are doing.

He added, “It is not about me, who is government? All of you here are the government. Even in the family, somebody governs the home and there are rules. And in every government; there are rules. Am not frustrated but I do not want you to be doomed.

“See what you can do if not for yourselves but for the people you are caring for and are behind you because they are the ones to take the heat”.