Nigerian Immigration Officer Arraigned for Allegedly Receiving Salaries from Three Government Agencies
In a shocking revelation of payroll fraud, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a Nigerian Immigration Officer, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, for allegedly drawing salaries from three different government agencies at the same time.
The case, which was brought before Justice Binta Dogonyaro at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, exposes a long-running scheme involving abuse of office and corruption.
How the Alleged Fraud Happened
According to ICPC prosecutors, Mr. Aseku, who serves as an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), collected salaries from the following government agencies while still actively working at the NIS:
🔹 ₦4.2 million from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2015 while supposedly working as a school teacher.
🔹 ₦13.4 million from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) between 2018 and 2019 while still employed by the NIS.
🔹 ₦4.7 million paid to seven ghost workers—individuals who were neither employed by nor listed on the NIS payroll—under his supervision as a Pay Officer within the Immigration Service.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
One of the charges against Mr. Aseku states:
“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 ₦13,400,889.90 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.”
When the charges were read in court, Mr. Aseku pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
Bail and Next Steps
His defense counsel, Mr. Basil Hemba, argued that his client had previously been granted bail by another FCT High Court in Maitama and requested that the court maintain the same bail conditions.
Justice Dogonyaro agreed to uphold the existing bail terms, and the case has now been adjourned to April 29, 2025, when the prosecution will present its witnesses.
Implications and the Fight Against Corruption
This case highlights the deep-rooted issues of payroll fraud and corruption within Nigeria’s public sector. Cases like these not only drain government resources but also undermine the efficiency of government institutions.
With the ICPC and other anti-corruption agencies stepping up investigations into salary fraud, the question remains: how many other cases like this are yet to be uncovered?
Stay tuned for further updates on this case.