News
Senate Exposes Job Racketeering At FCC …Vows To Bring Perpetrators To Book
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission, Danjuma Tella La’ah in Abuja, yesterday, exposed a job racketeering was going on at the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
Speaking with journalists in his office, the member representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, Danjuma Tella La’ah said, the matter was being investigated to unravel those involved in the racket.
According to him, there were reports from Nigerians that cartels within the fold of FCC sell jobs to Nigerians at a price that is highly dependent on agencies of choice of the applicant.
He explained how he got a text from a younger Nigerian who got appointment with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) for N3million.
He described the situation as a terrible one that shouldn’t be tolerated.
He said: “Well, thank you for bringing the issue of job racketeering at the Federal Character Commission.
“The Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission has been investigating and we are doing everything possible to unravel those behind sales of jobs there.
“I got reports from different people on sales of jobs going on at the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
“Appointment into government offices for sales at the Federal Character Commission is real.
“Someone has forwarded to me a text which is in my phone that he purchased Nigeria Ports Authority job from the Federal Character Commission at N3million.
“This is shocking. It makes my heart bleed, am so sad and I am going to take drastic action in this case. If the committee finds out that this is what they have been doing, we are not going to take it lightly with them.
“No stone shall be left unturned in telling the whole country that the FCC is involved in job racketeering.
The lawmaker lamented how some elements were involved in underhand dealings in the agency, because of the pressure of unemployment among Nigerians.
“There is high unemployment rate in Nigeria. People finish school and there is no job anywhere only to be busy selling jobs. Does it make sense? It’s an embarrassment to the society; it’s an embarrassment to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The President had earlier made a statement that he wants to make everybody enjoy his administration whatever it will take and that hundreds of thousands of undergraduates will be given appointment.
“If the investigation we are doing confirms it to be true, we are not going to take it lightly. We are gradually closing in on them.
Similarly, the House of Representatives, yesterday, threatened to issue a warrant on government agencies that fail to appear before its Public Account Committee to answer questions on why they failed to submit their audited account to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Oluwole Oke, who issued the threat, said such agencies have something to hide, stressing that the House was determine to unravel the reason for their refusal.
Specifically, Oke ordered the managing director of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority to appear before the committee, today or risk arrest.
Oke issued the threat at the resumed sitting of the committee just as its members was told that 14 years after its closure, some workers of the Nigeria Mining Corporation have been receiving salaries from government.
Oke also directed that the Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, the Minister of Water Resources and the Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises should cause an appearance before the committee to answer questions relating to agencies under their supervision.
The Minister for Solid Minerals and Steel Development as well as the Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises are to appear before the House Committee to explain why the agency that has been closed down since 2006 was still drawing salaries from the public funds.
The Assistant General Manager, Finance of the Nigeria Mining Corporation, Dauda Ibrahim Gambo, told that House Committee that agency was closed for privatisation and that they were asked to collaborate with BPE for a successful privatization of the place
However, about 24 former workers of the Lagos International Trade Fair, who were sacked when the agency was concessioned and absolved by the parent ministry are still collecting salaries from the organization.
The committee, however, placed all River Basin Development Authority on status enquiry, saying the House wants to get that root of the non-rendition of audited account to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation by treasury funded and partially funded agencies in accordance with the law.
The Anambra Imo River Basin Development Authority, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Cross River Basin Development Authority, Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority, Lake Chad Basin Development Authority, Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority, Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority were all placed under status enquiry by the committee.
Also placed on status enquiry was the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA), while the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had its representative turned back.
A Deputy Director in the agency, Gbenga Yewande, had informed the committee that the director general could not attend the sitting because she was attending an international event at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
Oke was particularly not happy with the office of the Auditor General for failing to issue constant reminder to agencies even when they are aware of default by the agencies.
Meanwhile, an Executive Director with the NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank, Dr. Lawrence Akande, who appeared before the committee inform them that even though the bank was established to help drive small scale investment in the country, there is no single kobo from public fund invested in the bank.
He said the only fund the bank was using for its operations was the share of the equity paid by the Bankers Committee who own 60 per cent of the bank equity.
He said the vision of the bank was to have branches in the 774 local government areas of the country, stressing that at the moment, they have only 53 branches and hope to complete another 60 before the end of the year.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and various opioids concealed in walls of cartons used to package cloths and other items going to the United Kingdom and Australia.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement shared on X yesterday confirmed the interdiction.
According to him, “The two seizures were recorded at a courier company in Lagos on Friday 15th May 2026 during examination of shipments going to the UK and Australia.
“A total of 170grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and buried in the walls of a carton of cloths heading to Australia were recovered.
“A wide range of opioids including: 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection were recovered from another carton which has United Kingdom as its final destination”.
“In FCT Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Monday 11th May arrested a 29-year-old businessman Ogadi Peter who specializes in producing drug laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings in the capital city.
“Following credible intelligence, he was traced to his home in Life Camp area of the FCT where he was nabbed while 800grams of skunk and 2.70kg drug laced cookies recovered from him”.
“In Delta state, NDLEA operatives on Sunday 10th May, raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani local government area where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk on 11 hectares of farmland and recovered 22.9kg of same substance while a 52-year-old suspect Ifeanyichukwu Peter was arrested in a follow up operation at Obiaruku.
“A similar raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North LGA on Tuesday 12th May led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms and recovery of 55.4kg of same psychoactive substance on 15 hectares of farm as well as the arrest of 30-year-old Godwin Vincent Osadera.
“This brings the total weight of skunk destroyed by NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers in the two operations to 65,000 kilograms”.
“In Kaduna State, 361kg of skunk was recovered during a raid operation at Dan Magaji area of Zaria town on Wednesday 13th May. and a suspect Husaini Suleiman, 42 ,was arrested.
“A large cache of military-grade ammunition was intercepted by NDLEA officers on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna highway, Kaduna on Tuesday 12th May.
“A suspect, 35-year-old Abdullahi Hassan was caught conveying the 1, 989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm concealed in fresh white cassava granules locally known as garri.
“Both the suspect and exhibit have since been transferred to another security agency for further investigation’.
Also, a total of 181kg skunk was recovered from a suspect Aliyu Sani when NDLEA operatives raided the Ogere area of Ogun state on Wednesday 13th May, while another suspect Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, 27, was arrested with 105,850 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 along Zaki- Biam road Wukari LGA, Taraba state on Thursday 14th May.
In Oyo State, two suspects: Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25, were arrested on Thursday, 14th May at Challenge II, Saki town, in connection with the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies.
NDLEA also said a total of 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on two farms on Friday, 15th May when NDLEA officers raided Ago forest, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo state.
A 25-litre jerry can of palm oil used to conceal 1.2kg pills of tramaking 225mg was recovered from Kofar Ruwa motor park in Kano on Monday, 11th May following credible intelligence while a suspect Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested at Sabuwar Sharada area of the state same day with 30.5kg skunk.
The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week including: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of The Apostolic Church Model College, Ijokodo, Ibadan Oyo State; School of Health Technology, Lambata, Niger state; Yewa Junior High School, Agege, Lagos; Government Secondary School, Yardaje, Katsina; Igogo Commercial High School, Igogo Ekiti and Government Girls Secondary School, Magwan, Kano state; among others.
While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo, Taraba, Kano, FCT and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead after a three-storey building under construction collapsed in the Durumi 3 area near Gudu Market in the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday morning.
Ten other persons were rescued alive from the rubble, according to the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, who provided an update on the incident via his X handle on Saturday.
Olayinka further stated that the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, who visited the site, disclosed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had directed that “all casualties be given free medical treatment.”
According to him, emergency responders continued efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Officials of the Federal Fire Service, health workers, security agencies and local volunteers were at the scene working to rescue victims.
Recall that in April, six persons were injured following a similar collapse of a two-storey building under construction in Jikwoyi within the AMAC area.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has charged newlywed couples to build their marriages on the virtues of love as taught in the Word of God.
Prof. Odu gave the charge at the wedding ceremony of Amblessed Favour Sunny-Cookey and Samson Jesuganji at Lifegate Power Ministries, Dominion Cathedral, in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
This was contained in a statement by the Head of Press, Deputy Governor’s Office, Owupele Benebo last Saturday.
The statement identified the bride as the daughter of Pastor Sunny Cookey, the Founder and Presiding Pastor of Lifegate Ministries.
The deputy governor congratulated the couple on a new phase of life, and prayed for God’s blessings upon their union, noting that the couple were raised by godly parents and encouraging them to uphold the Christian values instilled in them.
Referring to the sermon delivered during the ceremony, Odu emphasized that the principles of love and submission remain fundamental to a successful marriage.
According to her, genuine love reflects the nature of God, stressing that love should remain the foundation of the couple’s relationship as they journey through life together.
She prayed for enduring peace, happiness, and progress in their home, expressing confidence that the marriage would continue to flourish under God’s guidance.
The deputy governor commended the families of the couple for their support and upbringing, while urging the newlyweds to always remember the significance of the day and the commitment they had made before God and witnesses.
In his sermon at the wedding, the Founder and Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, stated that marriage did not originate from Western culture, traditions, or human ideas, but from God, whom he described as the “manufacturer” of marriage.
According to the cleric, couples seeking lasting and peaceful homes must rely on biblical principles rather than societal trends or assumptions.
He explained that many marital crises and rising divorce rates stem from ignorance and failure to apply scriptural teachings in family life.
Drawing from the biblical parable of building a house on a rock, Ibiyeomie said the Word of God remains the only solid foundation capable of sustaining marriages through challenges and difficult times.
He noted that marriage naturally comes with unexpected realities and pressures, stressing that religious ceremonies or cultural practices alone are not enough to sustain a home without proper understanding of God’s instructions.
The pastor further warned that ignorance of scripture remains one of the greatest weapons against believers, urging Christians to study and practice the Word of God rather than merely attending church services.
The ceremony had many ministers in attendance including Apostle Zilly Aggrey, Pastor George Izunwa, and Bishop Winston Iwo.
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