ICPC arraigns senior prisons officer for ‘job racketeering’

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has arraigned Eyimoga Moses, an officer with the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS), Nasarawa, over “job racketeering”.

According to a statement issued on Friday by Azuka Ogugua, ICPC spokesperson, Moses was arraigned on Thursday before Abdul Dogo, judge of the federal high court, Makurdi, Benue state.

Moses, a superintendent with the Nasarawa state command of NCS, was arraigned on a one-count charge of corruption for allegedly “collecting N800,000 from a couple for two vacancy slots at the Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa state, which Eyimoga knew was false and, therefore, committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of Advance Fee Fraud and other related Offences Act, 2006”.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail and ordered to be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Service, Makurdi, Benue until he meets the bail conditions.

The ICPC said the case was adjourned to June 20 for trial.

The commission also arraigned Friday Adodo, general manager of AGB Limited; and Abdulrasheed Yusuf, a businessman and owner of FMateck Limited, for allegedly forging contract documents.

The defendants were earlier scheduled to be arraigned on March 24 on a three-count charge bordering on forging documents to bid for a contract at the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA) Makurdi, Benue state.

The alleged offence is contrary to section 97 of the Penal Code and section 58(1) of the Procurement Act, 2007.

“The earlier arraignment did not take place due to the absence of the second defendant, Friday Adogo, which stalled the arraignment, leading the judge, Justice A. Dogo to issue a bench warrant for his arrest for violating court proceedings. The matter was, therefore, adjourned to 28th March 2023,” the ICPC said.

The ICPC spokesperson said on the resumed hearing of the case on March 28, the defendants, Yusuf and Adodo, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail on “stringent condition”.

The defendants were remanded in custody until they can meet the bail conditions while the case was adjourned to June 20 for a hearing.