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ICPC Arraigns Immigration Officer, Probes Lagos Council Chairman Over Multi-Billion Naira Corruption Allegations
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has intensified its crackdown on public sector corruption, arraigning an Immigration officer over a N17.6 million salary fraud while also launching an investigation into an alleged multi-billion naira financial scandal in Lagos.
On Tuesday, the ICPC arraigned Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), before Justice Binta Dogonyaro of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja. Aseku faces a nine-count charge bordering on corruption and abuse of office for allegedly receiving salaries from three government agencies simultaneously.
The anti-corruption agency accused Aseku of fraudulently collecting N4.2 million in salaries from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2015 while still employed by the NIS. He was also alleged to have received N13.4 million in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) between 2018 and 2019 while remaining on the NIS payroll.
Further investigations revealed that Aseku, while serving as a Pay Officer at the NIS, facilitated the payment of N4.7 million to seven ghost workers who were neither employees of the Immigration Service nor listed on its payroll.
One of the charges reads:
*”That you, Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, between October 2018 and October 2019, in Abuja, while serving as an Assistant Superintendent Immigration Officer, used your position to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself by receiving a total sum of N13,400,889.90 in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources while concurrently employed by the Nigerian Immigration Service, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”*
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Aseku pleaded not guilty to all charges. His counsel, Basil Hemba, argued that his client had already been granted bail by another FCT High Court sitting in Maitama and urged the court to maintain the existing bail conditions. Justice Dogonyaro upheld the Maitama court’s bail terms while the prosecution, led by Michael Adesola, requested an adjournment to allow witnesses to testify. The case was adjourned to April 29, 2025, for further hearing.
In another development, the ICPC has launched an investigation into allegations of financial misconduct involving Kosofe Local Government Chairman, Moyosore Adedoyin Ogunlewe. The probe follows a petition by Ganiyu Olamiji Oyebanjo, the council’s Special Adviser on Boundary Matters, who accused Ogunlewe of massive corruption and election malpractice.
Oyebanjo, who was recently arrested by the police in Lagos, alleged that Ogunlewe illegally acquired an N800 million property using diverted public funds. He also accused the council chairman of bribing political opponents to secure his re-election bid, including the purchase of a Black Toyota Camry (registration number KJA 709 JD) for one Ibraheem Adisa Mustapha to persuade him to withdraw from contesting against him.
The petition detailed several instances of financial misconduct, including:
– The alleged approval of over N100 million for fictitious projects without executive committee discussions.
– Fraudulent contracts, such as a N30 million contract for two transformers that were never supplied.
– The misappropriation of N15 million allocated for a football competition, with only N2.25 million accounted for in prize money.
– Bogus events, such as a quiz and seminar, each costing N500,000 despite never taking place.
Oyebanjo also claimed that a civil servant who provided him with evidence of corruption was arrested and tortured on Ogunlewe’s orders. Fearing for his safety, Oyebanjo has reportedly gone into hiding after receiving multiple death threats.
The ICPC has commenced a forensic audit of Kosofe Local Government’s financial records and is expected to summon key stakeholders for questioning in the coming weeks
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