Corruption Imbroglio: 2 Victims Reveal How They Paid N3m To Ex-FCC Staff Haruna Kolo

 Mr. Andulamalik Ahmed and Mr.  Ali Yaro, who claimed to be among those who were made to pay money before getting employed by officials of the Federal Character Commission, FCC, have narrated how they at different times paid N1 million and N2 million to Mr. Haruna Kolo.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that  Ahmed and Yaro  said this on Tuesday while appearing  as witnesses  before the committee set up by the House of Representatives.

 Investigative hearing by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on mismanagement of the IPPIS by federal ministries, departments and agencies, parastatals and tertiary institutions had begun a few days ago, the FCC has however gotten under the spotlight.

Ahmed, an indigene of Adamawa, said he met the driver of the Commissioner that represents Taraba in FCC, Mr Yisha’u Gambo, who promised to get him employed  in the commission but that this was not without a quid pro quo, as he  would have to pay  the sum of N1 million.

Ahmed said he  however  refused to pay the money because the facilitator is an ordinary driver.

 
‘It was Yisha’u, who introduced Mr Haruna Kolo, a former staff of the FCC and the desk officer of IPPIS in the commission to me.

I paid N1 million into Kolo’s account when I confirmed that he was a staff of the commission, I refused to pay to the driver for security reasons.

I transfered N1 million to Kolo’s account. We initially agreed on N1.5million with Gambo, who is the commissioner representing Taraba’s driver ’ he said.

He added that 27 of them were issued appointment letters having paid the requested money, but that they were however  not posted to any of the MDAs.

‘The Head of Human Resources in FCC confirmed to us that our appointments were genuine before they cleverly took it from us. I was engaged for two years before I was disengaged without posting’ he said.

He added that contrary to information by the FCC that there was no recruitment since 2017, there was recruitment in 2021 and all the commissioners had a hand in the recruitment exercise.

‘Kolo convinced me to pay so that our employment can come after that of Directors and the Commissioners’ he said.

Ahmed  urged the committee to help get his job back, adding that he was not satisfied with receiving salary without doing the required job.

Yaro , another witness from Borno, said he was made to pay N2 million to secure a job in the FCC.

‘ I paid N2 million into Badamasi Jalo’s bank account, another victim but acting as agent for collection of monies for Kolo.

Kolo and Badamasi both assured me that I will get appointment letter in January’  he said, adding that he was captured on IPPIS on August 5, 2021, but never got placement.

‘ I graduated 11 years ago, and I had an opportunity to become a Boko Haram member, but I refused because I wanted to be a good citizen’ he said.

 Chairman of the committee, Rep Yusuf Gagdi said the testimonies from the two victims should encourage all Nigerians who have been treated unfairly by the FCC officials through misconduct to appear.

‘I am very happy that you said you had an offer to become a Boko Haram member  but refused.

 We cannot cry like you but our hearts bleed for this country, we are going to do justice for you, we are not here to witch-hunt anybody.

You have told us who you gave money to. We will invite you again for a closed-door meeting with the other 27 victims’ he said.

Haruna Kolo ,a former Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System desk officer at the Federal Character Commission, FCC,  who was accused of collecting bribes from job seekers had surprised many by not denying the allegations but however dropping the bombshell.

Kolo claimed that  he received over N75m from desperate jobseekers on the instructions of the Chairman of the FCC, Hajia Muheeba Dankaka.

He also alleged that  Dankaka instructed him to transfer the money to his (Kolo) personal bank  account and pay her in cash which he did a couple of times in her house.

Dankaka  ,who had gotten a great deal of public attention for about three weeks now, had while appearing before the committee a few days ago, asserted that she is a successful businesswoman, who had made money before her appointment and was only stopping those seeking to exploit the job seekers.

‘When she came to FCC as the Executive Chairman, she appointed me as a protocol officer and I carried out my duty diligently.

On the allegations of job racketeering, the FCC Chairman instructed me to liaise with one Mr. Shehu, who is a personal driver and a Taraba state Commissioner’s Personal Assistant . As a desk officer, I was responsible to take whoever was employed to IPPIS for capturing. No one could go there without a letter from the Chairman or Human Resource Officer of the FCC.

When she came, she wrote a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation, instructing that no letter from the FCC should be honoured except she signs it. So, whenever there was a new employment, she signs, gives it to me, and I take it to the Accountant General’s office for capturing.

Shehu is the one that brought those who paid money to my account for job, some paid N1m, others N1.5m, all to my personal bank account, my Ecobank account. She asked me to give cash to her, which I did through POS. So, there was no evidence of transfer or anything. On the allegation of working at seven places, I was never at any time involved in seven jobs. They are making the allegation based on assumption.

The second allegation on my subsequent employment at AMCON was a result of her personal favour to me. We were four in number, and she gave the appointment letter to me, Kadijah, and Olushola. We all proceeded for an interview at AMCON headquarters in Abuja after which we were called upon for training on the 16th January 2023.

 After the training,  Olushola and I were called to Lagos. Unfortunately, Kadijah, who is the chairman’s biological sister, was rejected. The Chairman accused me of being responsible for her rejection.

I see no reason why (sic) the chairperson would make allegations of such magnitude against me. I have been threatened even at gunpoint and had to leave Abuja.

Sir, I want this committee to know that after this sitting if anything happens to me,  the FCC chairperson should be held responsible’  Kolo  submitted on Monday-Team@orientactualmags.com
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