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FG vows to delist 1,500 workers with fake employment letters
FG vows to delist 1,500 workers with fake employment letters
The Federal Government says it has uncovered 1,500 workers who joined the Federal Civil Service with fake appointment letters.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, who said this in Abuja on Tuesday, vowed to delist them from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Yemi-Esan was speaking at the ‘National Policy Dialogue on Entrenching Transparency in Public Office Recruitment in Nigeria.
The event was organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), a research and training arm of the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
She added that over 1, 000 persons were said to have been discovered in one ministry while 500 others were found in other ministries, departments and agencies during a service-wide verification exercise.
The head of the service said the Federal Government would spare no effort to remove their names from the IPPIS to serve as a deterrent to others.
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Yemi-Esan stated that with the institutionalisation of the IPPIS the Federal Government had been able to track fake employment.
She said this has reduced the risk of employing less efficient, unqualified and undependable personnel to handle the affairs of government.
“For instance, in the past year, in one ministry alone, over 1,000 individuals bearing fake letters of appointment were detected.
“It is disheartening to point out that the office recently received a report from the Federal Civil Service Commission forwarding the names of over 500 persons in various MDAs in possession of fake letters of appointment.
“Similarly, following the outcome of the Service-Wide Verification Exercise for officers recruited from 2013 – 2020, the Federal Civil Service Commission has also requested the suspension of the salaries of over 3,000 officers across the MDAs.
“These officers failed to appear for the exercise pending further clearance, ” she said.
According to her, the government’s effort to stop financial leakages in the civil service has created a gap leading to a series of implementation issues.
She added that as of March, over 380,000 officers had been captured on the IPPIS payroll comprising 66,000 and 320,000 for core and non-core MDAs, respectively.
“A report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime averred that 32 per cent of Nigerians gave bribes to enable them to secure employment in the public service in 2019.
“What is also important to note from the report, which perhaps is fundamental to understanding how corruption thrives in recruitment processes is that an increasing number of the job seekers were in contact with public officials or possibly other entities.
“Hence, the trend underscores the importance of putting in place systems to reduce, to the possible minimum, any form of human contact, ” she said.
She, however, explained that the Federal Government through various means would continue to explore possible ways to bridge the unemployment gap in the country
She said this would be done through: “a multipronged and crosscutting approach, especially through the various social safety net programmes.
“The programmes will drive the government’s ambition to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to lift more than 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.”
Speaking on global best practices in terms of recruitment, she noted that the Indian public service has one of the best compared to the Nigerian system.
“I visited India recently and had an interaction with the Chairman, United Public Service Commission of the country.
“The discussions were centred on the system put in place for the recruitment of officers into the civil service which is one of the best in the world and involves a decentralised examination aimed at selecting the best candidates.
“I was further informed that the process is void of any form of external interference.
“In addition, India conducts its recruitment once a year through a well-recognised merit-based system, ” she added.
Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge
By: Zagazola Makama
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the sudden death of an unidentified man who collapsed and died at Government House Lodge, Minna. Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred on Friday, Aug. 2, 2025.
Sources said that the deceased had visited House No. 8, Government House Lodge, in an attempt to see Mr. Sammy, Chairman of Niger Foods. However, upon meeting his host’s absence, the man suddenly took ill.
Medical doctors were reportedly contacted from the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, for urgent attention. Unfortunately, by the time the doctor arrived, the man had already passed away.
Following the report, a team of police operatives from GRA Division visited the scene. The body was photographed and evacuated to the IBB Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge
Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027
By Amina Ahmed Dankawuwa
The Senator representing Bauchi South at the national assembly, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has accepted the calls by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial District to contest for Governorship come 2027.
The Director General of the campaign for the actualisation of Sen Buba’s Gubernatorial ambition, Alhaji Muhammad Sade (Usman) accepted the calls on behalf of the Senator during a town hall meeting held on Saturday by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial in Azare.
He appealed to members of APC to maintain peace with all other aspirants within the party.
“Let’s respect other aspirants, such that anybody who win the primary election can have will be assisted by others, so we must value and respect each other”, he reasoned.
Muhammad Sade also called on party members to commence looking for delegates for ahead of the party primaries.
“It is now that we have to look for those that have votes. I call on our esteemed supporters to start mobilizing for delegate”, he emphasized.
He also advised social media handlers (citizens journalist) to avoid creating problems for personal gain, adding that social media some times create a lot of problem within and out side the party endorsed Senator representing Bauchi South, Senator Shehu Buba Umar for Bauchi Governor come 2027.
Baushe Daily Times reports that members of the APC gathered in thousands during the meeting in Azare during which they unanimously agreed to support Senator Shehu Buba for Governor come 2027.
Earlier in a welcoming address, former majority leader in the Bauchi state house of assembly, Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu, the choice to support Sen Shehu buba Umar’s Governorship ambition was due to his concern and care he has for the people of Bauchi state.
“He respects us, he values our people politically and he also call on party members to respect each other because politics shouldn’t be considered as a do or die affair”, he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Bashir Bukar Rimin Zayam charged the youth to cast their votes for the youth only and avoid voting older politicians who will always be going abroad for medical attention.
He therefore, appealed to members of APC to mobilised people to support Sen Shehu Buba for Governor.
Among those who attended the town hall meeting include state assembly member Azare/Madangala Hon Zakariyya sale maigero, comr sabo Mohammed S A to Sen Shehu Buba on media and communication, Hon kasuwa Shehu Damana, Hon Adamu Fanta Misau, Hon maiwada Misau,Hon Mohammed Hassan, Barr Muktar Umar, Alhaji Nura Adamu among others.
Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027
NHRC: Closure of Badeggi Radio, A Suppression of Press Freedom, Affront to Democracy
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in strong terms the closure of Badeggi Radio in Niger State by the State Governor Mohammed Bago, discribing it as not only a suppression of press freedom but an affront to democracy.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr Tony Ojukwu, condemned the action while reacting to the ugly incident. He said the governor’s decision to shut down the radio station without following due process is disappointing and a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Ojukwu noted that the consequences of suppressing press freedom are far-reaching and can lead to increased government opacity, reduced citizen participation, creat obstacles to accountability, and weakening of democratic institutions.
He said: “The arbitrary shutdown of media outlets undermines the checks and balances essential to a functioning democracy.”
He called on Governor Bago to immediately unseal the Radio Station and allow it to resume full operations, asking him to channel issues concerning any alleged unconstitutional operations of the Radio Station to the appropriate authority and not act with impunity.
He said: “This is both a moral imperative and a democratic requirement.”
Ojukwu who is also the president of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa ( NNHRI-WA) urged the governments to protect journalists and media freedom, foster a culture of tolerance, and support independent media. “Journalists must be able to operate without fear of harassment, intimidation, or violence,” He emphasized.
He lamented that the media has severally come under attack in various forms, a situation he termed as unacceptable in a civilized society.
He called on the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be firm in carrying out its Statutory mandate which must not be abused at any slight opportunity.
He used the opportunity to ask media practitioners to be professional at all times in order to prevent needless censorship by political office holders.
He also called on Nigerian Guild of Editors to provide professional guidance at regular intervals as this will curb the use of hate speech, fake news and other unprofessional conducts capable of adversely affecting the media houses.
He insisted that the Commission remains committed to promoting and protecting human rights in Nigeria and would continue to monitor the situation closely.
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