Immigration officer arraigned over alleged N17.6m multiple salaries withdrawal

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, for allegedly receiving N17.6 million in salaries from three different government agencies

Aseku, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI), was accused of drawing salaries from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and the NIS, where he was officially employed.

The suspect was arraigned before Justice Binta Dogonyaro of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, on a nine-count charge bordering on abuse of office and corruption, a statement by the spokesman for ICPC, Demola Bakare, said on Wednesday.

According to the ICPC, Aseku allegedly received N4.2 million in salaries from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2015, while working as a school teacher, despite being on active duty with the NIS.

He was further alleged to have drawn N13.4 million in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) between 2018 and 2019, while employed by the Immigration Service.

The ICPC alleged that Aseku, as a Pay Officer with the NIS, facilitated the payment of N4.7 million in salaries to seven individuals who were neither employees of the NIS nor 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.”

Aseku pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

Consequently, his lawyer, Basil Hemba, informed the court that Aseku had previously been granted bail by another FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, urging the court to maintain the existing bail terms.

Justice Dogonyaro upheld the bail conditions, which had been granted by the Maitama court and adjourned the case till April 29 for hearing.

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