News: Civil Service Commission Uncovers Fake Appointment Letters Syndicate

Niger State Civil Service Commission - A syndicate, which specialises in forging appointment and promotion letters in Niger State civil service has been uncovered.

Over 80 fake appointment letters were discovered during the arrest of members. The Chairman of Niger State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Shehu Galadima, said most of the members operated at the Civil Service Commission, Office of the Head of Service and Ministry of Finance.

He said members of the syndicate collected money from unsuspecting applicants and assured them of appointment into the civil service, adding that they gave them fake letters of appointment, which they used to work in the civil service, thereby increasing the wage bill of the government.

Galadima said about N150 million was being lost monthly by the government as salary paid to fake workers.

He said besides issuing fake appointment letters, the syndicate specialised in giving transfer letters to workers to ‘juicy’ MDAs after the payment of huge sums.

Three members of the syndicate have been arrested by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and will be arraigned at a Minna Chief Magistrates’ Court.

Galadima said the commission and police are trailing other members of the syndicate. He alleged that the syndicate had the support of influential people, adding that his life and that of other members of the commission was being threatened.

Source: The Nation