₦70m job racketeering scandal rocks Nasarawa TSC as Assembly probe indicts ex-chairman
₦70m job racketeering scandal rocks Nasarawa TSC as Assembly probe indicts ex-chairman
A massive job racketeering scandal has been uncovered within the Nasarawa State Teachers Service Commission (TSC), with over ₦70 million allegedly traced to a corporate account linked to the former TSC Chairman, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar Gada.
The shocking revelations emerged during Tuesday’s sitting of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly’s Investigative Committee, chaired by Hon. Daniel Oga Ogazi. The probe followed public outcry over irregularities in teacher recruitment across the state.
Testimonies from key witnesses exposed a coordinated network of civil servant syndicates engaged in the sale of employment letters for amounts ranging between ₦400,000 and ₦600,000.
Mr. Yamush Amos, an Evaluation Officer at the State Ministry of Education, admitted to selling 101 employment letters, stating that he transferred ₦40 million into a corporate account named Muzafa Universal Domicile, reportedly at the instruction of the ex-chairman.
Another suspect, Mr. Bilyyaminu Muhammad Baburo, a classroom teacher at Government Secondary School, Nakere, in Wamba LGA, confessed to selling 200 letters. He said he was paid ₦5 million as commission and transferred ₦30 million to the same account, which was allegedly provided by Isa Umar, the Personal Assistant to the former TSC chairman.
Both individuals claimed the transactions were carried out with the full knowledge and approval of Alhaji Gada, and pleaded for leniency from the lawmakers.
The scandal further deepened with the appearance of Mr. Muhammad Abubakar Muhammad, Special Adviser on Government Affairs, who admitted submitting a list of 50 names for employment, despite Governor Abdullahi Sule’s disapproval. He disclosed that about half of the employment letters issued from his list were fake.
“I was under pressure from stakeholders. I commend the House for exposing this criminal network,” Muhammad stated.
Mr. Kreki Francis, a former part-time member of the TSC, also testified that he received five employment slots, but none of the names made it through the system. He revealed that some secondary school students were fraudulently employed during the process.
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When asked about the state government’s plan to retain only 781 out of the 4,243 teachers allegedly recruited, Hon. Ogazi described the matter as “inconsequential” for now, stating:
“We are inviting the TSC Chairman who issued that press release to clarify who gave him such an order. This investigation will reach a logical conclusion.”
The committee has summoned the management of the consulting firm that screened the recruited teachers to appear before it, despite their request for more time to consult legal counsel.
Meanwhile, the committee has invited all individuals who paid money in exchange for teaching appointments in the state to present themselves with evidence before the Assembly Committee at 10:00 a.m. next Monday at the Assembly Complex in Lafia.
The unfolding scandal has sparked public outrage and calls for accountability, as the Assembly vows to bring all perpetrators to justice. Vanguard
