The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged Abubakar Aseku, an assistant superintendent with the Nigerian Immigration employment (NIS), with receiving wages from two other government agencies while being in active employment with the NIS.
According to the ICPC, Aseku fraudulently collected N4.2 million from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2015 while working as a schoolteacher, despite being on the immigration service’s payroll.
The commission further said that between 2018 and 2019, he got an additional N13.4 million in salary from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) while still working for the NIS.
The ICPC noted that while working as a pay officer for the immigration service, Aseku facilitated the payment of N4.7 million in salary to seven people who were neither NIS employees nor on its payroll.
On Tuesday, he was arraigned before Binta Dogonyaro, a judge of the federal capital territory’s (FCT) high court in Apo, on nine counts of abuse of power and corruption.
Aseku pleaded not guilty on all allegations. His counsel, Basil Hemba, requested that the court uphold the bail conditions earlier given to his client by another FCT high court in Maitama.
Dogonyaro concurred and upheld the earlier bail conditions.
Following the plea, ICPC counsel, Michael Adesola, requested an adjournment to allow the prosecution to present its witnesses.
The court adjourned the matter until April 29, 2025, for the commencement of trial.
Source:TheCable
