Bio-data enrollment officer arrested in Jigawa over bribery

A man, Kingsley Nneji (29), an ad hoc staff of Prime Gate Consultants, entrusted with the bio-data capture of Jigawa State civil servants, has been arrested by the anti-fraud unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa State Command, following his alleged involvement in collection of money before registering a civil servant.

The suspect was arrested on November 8, 2023 in the State Ministry of Finance, Dutse, where the exercise was taking place.

His arrest followed a complaint lodged by the husband of the aggrieved civil servant, a retired military officer, who reported to NSCDC that his wife working with the Jigawa State College of Education (COE), Gumel, missed the enrollment exercise because of an ailment and was given the contact of Mr Kingsley who did the enrollment in her place of work, but that he solicited N10,000 before she could be registered.

The husband then asked his wife to record every detail of her conversations with the suspect. He presented which included call records, serial numbers of the new notes given, bank account details of the suspect which he forwarded via SMS to his wife, a copy of the customised envelope used in putting the money.

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At the time of his arrest, the suspect was in possession of the said amount neatly placed in the customised envelope as stated. A short video of how he collected the money was made and presented. His handset equally testified to the calls received.

The command’s spokesman, Adamu Shehu, said the man confessed to the crime and would be charged to court.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Prime Gate Consultants, has distanced his company from the action of Mr Kingsley, saying that his contract with the company had expired on November 4, 2023.

He noted that the company made it mandatory for every staff involved in the bio-data enrollment exercise to sign an indemnity not to partake in any act of financial impropriety.