New witnesses testified Monday before an ad hoc House committee investigating allegations of labor racketeering at the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
Witnesses presented bank statements and oral evidence linking aides to different FCC commissioners with organized crime.
The committee is investigating ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), parastatals and tertiary institutions on personal recruitment, labor extortion and the mismanagement of Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information (IPPIS).
FCC Chairman Muheeba Dankaka and the commission have been in the eye of the storm over the labor scandal engulfing the commission.
Some current and former commission staff have testified against Ms. Dankaka for running a job sales ring.
A former assistant to the Commission Chairman, Haruna Kolo, had informed the committee that he was in charge of collecting money on behalf of Ms. Dankaka and remitting cash to her.
Last week, the Committee issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Kolo for failing to comply with the Committee’s subsequent summons; however, it appears that the order has not produced it.
Resuming the hearing on Monday, Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) said he obtained Mr Kolo’s bank statements and flagged some names who made suspicious transfers to the account and have been subpoenaed.
He said that a certain Gbadamosi Jalo made several transfers to Mr. Kolo.
“In Haruna Kolo’s account, we saw transactions linked to Ishau Gambo, a driver linked to the Taraba commissioner. We have no other reason than to invite the Commissioner of Taraba. We called him with Abubakar, the PA of the commissioner. Gbadamosi Jalo stood out, including some candidates who got the job through organized crime,” she said.
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Mr. Jalo, while testifying under oath, said that he paid N1.2 million into Mr. Kolo’s account and was offered a job with the FCC. He indicated that he subsequently enrolled in IPPIS and was receiving salary from him.
He informed the committee that after the success of his employment, Mr. Kolo urged him to look for other job applicants who are willing to pay. He told the committee that he got about ten people to pay through him.
Jalo said most of the candidates who came through him were recruited from the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR).
Jalo said he met Kolo through Ishayu Gambo, a driver for the Taraba state commissioner.
“I met Haruna Kolo through Ishau Gambo. We did our IPPIS on October 14, 2021. I started receiving my salary next November. Based on that, he was confident. Kolo told me to find additional people. He also told me that there would be another recruitment. When they put money into my account,” he said.
Likewise, Musa Ibrahim also testified before the committee. In his testimony, he claimed that he facilitated the payment of money to the account of Abdulahi Ibrahim, allegedly an assistant to Mamman Ankayi, the Nasarawa state FCC commissioner.
He presented evidence of payments to the committee and claimed that Mr. Ibrahim was arrested, but the commissioner facilitated his release.
“Abdullahi Ibrahim was a scam; we arrested him at one point,” he said.
In his ruling, Gagdi said the Nasarawa commissioner and the 36 other commissioners must appear before the committee because they all appear to be facing different charges.
He also insisted that Mr. Kolo must appear before the committee to give more evidence.
“He can’t come here and say what he wants to say and disappear. He asked him for proof, but he didn’t give it. We want to continue interacting with it, but it doesn’t communicate. Whatever script he’s acting in, we’ll get the fact. No one will drag this committee into any policy,” Gagdi said.
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