Job-for-sale scandal: We paid N250,000 each for govt jobs –Victims

Two whistle-blowers appeared before the Senate in Abuja yesterday and admitted paying N250,000 each to secure appointments in the Ministries of Lands and Housing, Information, Works, Trade and Investment, aided principally by staff of the federal agencies.

Mrs. Rose Nkarishor Odey and Idachaba Tijani told the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs that the job-for-sale racket was being allegedly spearheaded by one Juliet Egobunor and Simon Odujebe.

The duo claimed to work for the Ministry of Lands and Housing from where they fleeced nnocent Nigerians of N250,000 each with the promise of employment in any federal ministry.

In the letter before the committee, titled: Petition against Juliet Egobunor and Simon Odujebe for issuing me fake appointment letter for N250,000, dated March 25, 2013, Odey tendered an Offer of Temporary Appointment letter purportedly issued on the letter head of the Federal Civil Service Commission, dated September 5, 2007 with Ref No: FC.7000/C.4261/19. The said appointment letter, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Sun, signed by one Ahmed S. Dantanko offered Odey, whose address was stated as 16, Bolarinwa Street, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo State, was appointed as Administrative Officer II on salary Grade Level 08, Step 02 which is N164,272.00 per annum.

Odey’s appointment, as with many others in various ministries, was equally captured in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Gazette Section of October 18, 2011.

Besides, Odey attached a circular, which allegedly emanated from the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation marked: HCSF/PSO/002/S.I/Tiii of January 25,2012 which “approved the posting of newly-appointed/transferred Administrative Officers into the Federal Civil Service as in the attached format…

“The postings are with immediate effect and all officers are to report not later than Friday, February 2012.” One Mrs. Kehinde Ajoni, Permanent Secretary (CMO), reportedly signed the circular on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

But Odey admitted before the committee yesterday that she was given the appointment in April, 2012 and could not explain why the letter given her by Juliet read September, 2007. In her testimony before the committee, an obviously Mrs. Odey carefully detailed how the deal was struck in the house of her sister, Martina, and how for eight months she worked without any salary.

Odey was initially given an employment letter for the Ministry of Information before she was “transferred” to the Trade and Investment Ministry. That was where the illegal transactions were exposed. All efforts to retrieve her N250,000 has since failed.

The racket blew open when she went for registration in the ministry and it was discovered that she shared the same employment number with two other men! The racketeers then offered her another slot.

Tijani was not so lucky. He worked for only some months before he was apprehended as a fake staff of the Works Ministry.

Quickly, Tijani demanded a refund but has only succeeded in getting N100,000 back from Egobunor and Odujebe.

When it was his turn to testify , Tijani, who wore white buba and sokoto and for the most part of the confession kept his head bowed, re-echoed the employment story of Mrs. Odey.

He was, however, lucky because he has, so far, managed to evade arrest and was also able to retrieve N100,000 from the N250,000 he paid to the job racketeers.

Tijani’s words: “I met Egobunor who I offered N250,000 for employment. After that, I was posted to the Ministry of Works in April 2012 and my appointment letter was duly signed. From there, I was posted to a department in the ministry.

“On May 30, I was apprehended because the documents regarding my appointment were fake and I was asked where the documents were from. I cooperated fully with them and told them who gave me the appointment letter.

“I was thereafter taken to the Ministry of Lands and Housing to confront Juliet but before we got there, she had left office. I was asked to go for that day and report back the following day but I didn’t go back as asked, because I was afraid of being arrested.

“Somehow, I met Egobunor and demanded for a refund and she sent me to Simon Odujebe who told me categorically that a refund was not easy but instead, offered to take me to a new ministry. I refused that offer and we ended up bargaining for how much to get back from the initial N250,000 I had paid. I was offered 60 per cent of the N250,000, but I demanded for 80 per cent instead because I just wanted my money at that point. In November, I was given N100,000 and I was supposed to have been reimbursed another N50,000 which I have not got till date. Odujebe sent a text message to me, promising to refund the N50,000 and the message is still in my phone as I speak before you…

“That is why I came here with my petition, hoping that something will be done…”

On cross-examination from the co-Chairman of the committee, Senator Wilson Ake, how he, Tijani, came about the appointment letter which read 2007 instead of 2012, Tijani replied: “I don’t know why they gave me an appointment letter reading 2007 when I was employed in April 2012… I don’t know why they did all these because I have no experience in civil service. I cannot explain the discrepancies.”

Ake asked Tijani whether he signed any acknowledgement letter from the ministry on his employment to which he simply said: No.

He said that Egobunor only gave him some letters purportedly for his employment.

In attendance was the Deaconess Tolani Ayo, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), who asked for time to investigate the authenticity of the letter cum circular bandied by Mrs. Odey.

The Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta-led joint committee demanded the FCSC chairman return today with more evidence. The public hearing continues today.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/job-for-sale-scandal-we-paid-n250000-each-for-govt-jobs-victims/

Very awful!

I wish I were president.

This job racketeering is ubiquitous, every ministry & parastatals are guilty of this. If only this nonsense will stop.

250K WILL START A SMALL PROFITABLE BUSINESS

when crooks investigate thiefs. in felas voice na confusion be dat eooooooooo

all this for a job??

[size=18pt]Only crooks and rogues who have ulterior motives to misappropriate public funds would be willing to pay N250, 000 for government jobs when that same lump sum is enough to start a lucrative business or cottage industry that will not only pay you, but also pay the salaries of those you will employ.[/size]

I dnt even av 10k as i to pay for job as i speak.
Am workin for maself, no other!

It jst shows how desperate 9ja youtth want to get a gud Job 4 themselves its obvious dat our youth are not lazy but yet dese criminals @ d top kip asking 4 money 4 us to get Govt job smh

So sad!

Both Juliet Egobunor and Simon Odujebe's job should be given to the two petitioners.
Period!

now we know how the likes of "oga at the top" were recruited, pathetic!!

I don't know why people like this government work so much that an unemployed graduated can give 250k to secure it, an amount good enough to start a decent business and be on your own.

The scammers and the victims are all guilty of corruption, they should be charged.

Nigeria 4 sale , for highest bidder

Na wah o.

Na wa oooo. Heard dat in Navy and custom, dey even pay higher like 500k to 1 million. Na God go help us.

''appointed as Administrative Officer II on salary Grade Level 08, Step 02 which is N164,272.00 per annum''.

PATHETIC...

Except the leaders are executed jxt the way it is been done in Ghana, corruption will never cease

If they hadn't been caught they probably would have kept quiet and risen to become mediocre "Oga's at the Top"

Judging by the salaries its obvious they are going there to steal, plunder and demand bribes.

250,000 for 164,000 is lack of common sense

Why would you pay for a job? Isn't that counterproductive (The purpose of a job is to make money.) Let alone N250,000?

With that money, you can definitely start your own business or something similar. You must have some "odd" intentions to pay that much for a job.

With N250,000, you could start a business that will be paying you more than the fed job in the future. We are just too lazy to think of good business ideas and rather seek for jobs.

I don't understand how one will pay 250k 4 a job of N167,272.00 per annum... How does that work?

2old4that: So sad!

Juliet Egobunor and Simon Odujebe's job should be given to the two petitioners.
Period!

Are you okay?
Don't you know the two petitioners are criminals too.
Any one who gives bribe can also take it!

Ths is not only disgusting but alarming! I am short of words! When u pay 250k 2 get a job, when u are there, d 1st tin is 2 find all means 2 recoup ur "investment" & den make "profit" on d "investment". No 1da we hav d yusufs & co! God save Nigeria!

The recent NIMC CBT exam without scores displayed should be investigated. Yet sms was sent 2 people who have 'oga @ d top' Why not release exam scores immediately afta dat exam? I personally did dat exam very well 4rm d maths, current affairs, etc. Prince Uche Secondus shud be thoroughly investigated. Because i personally know how portharcourt people get what they want, if they need it.

9ja i hail 0oOo0oOo...?

life_style: 250K WILL START A SMALL PROFITABLE BUSINESS

and before u knw it, u r a boss. Though i dont blame d victims o, its a retirement job and they cant afford to miss dat gratuity.

Sean Dada: The recent NIMC CBT exam without scores displayed should be investigated. Yet sms was sent 2 people who have 'oga @ d top' Why not release exam scores immediately afta dat exam? I personally did dat exam very well 4rm d maths, current affairs, etc. Prince Uche Secondus shud be thoroughly investigated. Because i personally know how portharcourt people get what they want, if they need it.

9ja i hail 0oOo0oOo...?

LOL no be small thing oooo!

slimyem: Are you okay?
Don't you know the two petitioners are criminals too.
Any one who gives bribe can also take it!

Sure.
But they can still be given the job after serving their own prison terms.
Atleast they did the right thing bringing the story to limelight.

yuzedo: Wait! She paid N250,000 for a job whose annual salary is N164,272??!??

You guys don't understand how this works. N162,272 is the annual basic salary. But the racket they will be doing in the course of their duty is the koko of the matter.
You will be surprised at how many Grade level 8 or 9 officers that live large on that meagre salary.
If things work in their favour, that 250,000 willbe recouped in the first year of work. And moreover they will probably start up a business along side their job, in a very shortwhile.
People outside the civil service don't understand these things.