₦airaland Forum

This is not fair atall!
The north has always ensured they continue to control the polity of this temporary entity called Nigeria.

During census, you'll see difference inflated figures. The same is replicated in INEC registration.

The south should wake up. It's getting late. Time to restructure or renegotiate the continuous co-existence or otherwise in this entity. There are so much fruad and deceit here.

Just confused where actually this out change game is starting from.

I think I need a help.

Our ears are widely open to hear what he has to say about Nigeria and Nigerians, it's been a while.

Oga, by then it would too late.
No longer necessary, because you people were already on your way out.
We'll boot everything about change out of office.

Can you imagine all these old clueless men!

It's ok, FG have denied.
So who imported the rice?

Story! Why can't they present simple detailed information?
How many ghosts workers discovered in each ministry/agency, followed with the name of the minister/director general responsible.

Please this is an interesting topic. Somebody should please guide us, because the way things are going in this country now, every home should have one.

Most Nigerian lecturers and sexual harassment are

Name splitting to obtain more money especially from the illiterate parents.
Example, introduction to technical engineering structure as a course.

The student pads his budget to collects money for:
Introduction
Technical
Engineering
Structure.

We are not surprised.
Because he has not come after you, he has been covering up for you.

When you wake up.

This is what Buhari has caused us. Disobeying court orders.

Who cares!

Please this justice Abang should be tested for drug.

Is that not somebody's farm? Why destroy it? This time when government is talking about diversifying the economy.

Can't government organize the produce for export?

Really? That must be net of what have been stolen.

Good venture.

Ukwa

It is a shame that this government is yet to understand the power of government spending towards salvaging this ailing economy.

Osibanjo should please wake up.

Somebody's cat is missing.

Niger state and bad news are like

So he has realized that RCCG is typically a Yoruba church?

If you are not a Yoruba man, to be made a pastor is much difficult, except you are personally rich and capable of dishing out money to build the church.

So he has realized that RCCG is typically a Yoruba church?

We are waiting for when Nigeria will implement life impresonment or death penalty for corrupt politicians or corrupt contractors.

In the place of this African magic that EFCC are acting.

My God! How did we get here? Where did we get it wrong with these set of confused leaders? Making trials with the lives of over 170million Nigerians. God abeg we sincerely need your help.

These set of Confused APC people has blatantly refused to look beyond their party for help.

Many thanks to Former president, Goodluck Ebere Jonathan.

This fuel supplier no dry finish?

Well done N.A

One chance government.

To protect their brother's business. But this is no longer news na!

I used to think that VP Osibanjo was a serious Christian.

Now I know better.

Politics is indeed a dirty profession.

I told you people. He is asking for evidence by way of video, he will see it. Our politicians think it's in Nigeria where cctv don't work.

The next will be, that he is not the one in the video. I trust our polithiefcians.

SaharaReporters has exclusively obtained the sponsor-list of the employees that were illegally hired at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).


The list—which includes some of Nigeria’s most prominent political figures—was released to SaharaReporters following its June 15 report exposing the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Babatunde Fowler, as overseeing the recruitment exercise in violation of Nigerian laws and in further harm to President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption initiative.

The list of sponsors includes aides of President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, political operatives of the All Progressives Congress (APC), federal legislators, the Federal Character Commission (FCC), as well as top officials of FIRS itself. Also on the list are aides of the traditional ruler of Lagos, former President Shehu Shagari, and former Head of State Yakubu Gowon. That broad span demonstrates the depth and magnitude of the illegal employment menace in the country.

As in the case of the illegal hires of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, which was exposed by SaharaReporters three months ago, Mr. Fowler illegally recruited no fewer than 349 new FIRS staff members by deliberately ignoring existing Nigerian regulations, laws, and guidelines for public jobs.

According to the list, Mr. Fowler himself sponsored the highest number of illegal hires, with at least 89 recruits being attributed to him. As the corruption spread in the service, the Special Advisor to Mr. Fowler sponsored no fewer than eight illegal hires, while the Coordinating Directors of the Support Services Group, the Domestic Tax Group, and the Compliance and Standards Group (CSG) also took turns.

Sources speaking to SaharaReporters revealed that two hires—Rasheeda Seghosime and Danjuma Seghosime—are the children of FIRS CSG Coordinating Director Queensley Seghosime.

In a practice that parallels the gerrymandering and manipulation in the illegal CBN hires, the Seghosime siblings are curiously listed as being from two different States: Rasheeda listed under Jigawa State, and Danjuma under Delta State.

Another powerful political figure who repeatedly sponsored candidates is Senator Owan Enoh, (Cross River Central). The list shows Mr. Enoh as having sponsored no fewer than 60 illegal hires. Another lawmaker, Babangida Ibrahim, who represents Katsina State in the House of Representatives, also appears to have sponsored no fewer than 10 people.

Sources with knowledge of the illegal hiring practices at the FIRS revealed to SaharaReporters that Mr. Enoh and Mr. Ibrahim, both of whom are the Chairmen on the Senate and House Finance Committees, worked with Mr. Fowler to distribute the public job spots to members of those committees.

This source explained that Mr. Enoh and Mr. Babangida may not even know all the names attributed to them as sponsors because they were intermediaries between Mr. Fowler at FIRS and the Finance Committee members in the Senate and House.

Neither Mr. Enoh or Mr. Ibrahim returned SaharaReporters calls when our correspondent sought comment on these developments.

No fewer than 35 illegal hires were sponsored by the “VP”, according to the sponsor list and FIRS sources speaking with our correspondent. However, according to one source, “I do not know whether these people were sponsored by the Vice President himself or people in his office.”

SaharaReporters spoke to Mr. Osinbajo’s spokesman Laolu Akande, who promised to respond to our inquiries on Friday but did not do so throughout the weekend.

The Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, is listed as having sponsored no fewer than 27 illegal FIRS hires and was described as having enjoyed a “hands-on” role in selecting all hires.

A source at FIRS told SaharaReporters that, unlike many of the recruits sponsored by Mr. Enoh, SGF Lawal knew many of those he sponsored and was instrumental in selecting them to fill those spots. This source also added that Mr. Lawal was supposed to investigate allegations that FIRS was hiring people illegally as far back as April, but “simply ignored the issue.” It was also learned that at least 4 of the 27 illegal hires Mr. Lawal sponsored came from his wife.

Mr. Lawal told SaharaReporters by text and email that he was categorically certain that he had no role in the illegal hires and that reports linking him were false.

President Buhari’s Senior Special Advisers to the National Assembly, Kawu Sumaila and Ita Enang, are also listed as sponsors in the FIRS hires. Mr. Sumaila, SSA to the House of Representatives, sponsored five job slots; Mr. Enang, eight. Sources explained that Mr. Fowler provided these slots to Mr. Sumaila and Mr. Enang as a gesture of good faith concerning future requests.

Sources explained the keywords used to convey who was sponsoring which illegal candidate:

· CD meant Coordinating Director in various FIRS groups

· EC stood for Executive Chairman, meaning Mr. Fowler;

· DG BPSR meant Joe Abah, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms;

· FCC stood for the Federal Character Commission, the Commissioners of which received job slots to distribute in exchange for ignoring the fact that FIRS was not publicly advertising the jobs.


Sahara Reporters Media
SaharaReporters sources could not confirm the code words “Baba” or “Mama”, which sponsored at least 20 and 10 jobs respectively, but curiously a duplicate name sponsored by “Mama” was also listed as being sponsored by “Small Villa.” It is believed that the code names were referring to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is widely called Baba, while "Mama" might be his wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari. Our sources could not confirm to whom or what “Small Villa” represented, either.

As in the case of CBN Governor Emiefiele, sour sources explained to that Mr. Fowler was the mastermind for this monumental illegl employment scheme as a way for him to maintain control of FIRS even if he got sacked by President Buhari.

“FIRS not only has a massive budget but if Tunde were to leave he would still be able to influence the FIRS,” one source explained.

He added: “Tunde would be able to peddle influence and buy favors from Nigerian companies to give them assistance manipulating FIRS” after he leaves.

Sources from the FIRS also explained to our correspondent that most of these illegal hires were relatives or friends of the sponsors but that some job slots were sold for money.

Other names which are listed as having sponsored some of the illegal FIRS jobs are the Attorney General to the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Chief Pius Akinyelure; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon; the Head of Service, Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita; the former FIRS Executive Chairman Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru; Minister of Information Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State for Planning Zainab Ahmed; the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; former FIRS boss Alhaji Kabir Mashi; and APC Deputy Publicity Secretary Timi Frank.

According to SaharaReporters’ investigation, six of the new recruits are of the position of deputy director, while 10 are assistant directors. Thirty-four others are of the rank of deputy manager, while the rest are made up of senior managers, managers, assistant managers and officers.

The full list of sponsors and illegal hires can be viewed below:

FIRS Sponsor List

SaharaReporters has exclusively obtained the sponsor-list of the employees that were illegally hired at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).


The list—which includes some of Nigeria’s most prominent political figures—was released to SaharaReporters following its June 15 report exposing the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Babatunde Fowler, as overseeing the recruitment exercise in violation of Nigerian laws and in further harm to President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption initiative.

The list of sponsors includes aides of President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, political operatives of the All Progressives Congress (APC), federal legislators, the Federal Character Commission (FCC), as well as top officials of FIRS itself. Also on the list are aides of the traditional ruler of Lagos, former President Shehu Shagari, and former Head of State Yakubu Gowon. That broad span demonstrates the depth and magnitude of the illegal employment menace in the country.

As in the case of the illegal hires of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, which was exposed by SaharaReporters three months ago, Mr. Fowler illegally recruited no fewer than 349 new FIRS staff members by deliberately ignoring existing Nigerian regulations, laws, and guidelines for public jobs.

According to the list, Mr. Fowler himself sponsored the highest number of illegal hires, with at least 89 recruits being attributed to him. As the corruption spread in the service, the Special Advisor to Mr. Fowler sponsored no fewer than eight illegal hires, while the Coordinating Directors of the Support Services Group, the Domestic Tax Group, and the Compliance and Standards Group (CSG) also took turns.

Sources speaking to SaharaReporters revealed that two hires—Rasheeda Seghosime and Danjuma Seghosime—are the children of FIRS CSG Coordinating Director Queensley Seghosime.

In a practice that parallels the gerrymandering and manipulation in the illegal CBN hires, the Seghosime siblings are curiously listed as being from two different States: Rasheeda listed under Jigawa State, and Danjuma under Delta State.

Another powerful political figure who repeatedly sponsored candidates is Senator Owan Enoh, (Cross River Central). The list shows Mr. Enoh as having sponsored no fewer than 60 illegal hires. Another lawmaker, Babangida Ibrahim, who represents Katsina State in the House of Representatives, also appears to have sponsored no fewer than 10 people.

Sources with knowledge of the illegal hiring practices at the FIRS revealed to SaharaReporters that Mr. Enoh and Mr. Ibrahim, both of whom are the Chairmen on the Senate and House Finance Committees, worked with Mr. Fowler to distribute the public job spots to members of those committees.

This source explained that Mr. Enoh and Mr. Babangida may not even know all the names attributed to them as sponsors because they were intermediaries between Mr. Fowler at FIRS and the Finance Committee members in the Senate and House.

Neither Mr. Enoh or Mr. Ibrahim returned SaharaReporters calls when our correspondent sought comment on these developments.

No fewer than 35 illegal hires were sponsored by the “VP”, according to the sponsor list and FIRS sources speaking with our correspondent. However, according to one source, “I do not know whether these people were sponsored by the Vice President himself or people in his office.”

SaharaReporters spoke to Mr. Osinbajo’s spokesman Laolu Akande, who promised to respond to our inquiries on Friday but did not do so throughout the weekend.

The Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, is listed as having sponsored no fewer than 27 illegal FIRS hires and was described as having enjoyed a “hands-on” role in selecting all hires.

A source at FIRS told SaharaReporters that, unlike many of the recruits sponsored by Mr. Enoh, SGF Lawal knew many of those he sponsored and was instrumental in selecting them to fill those spots. This source also added that Mr. Lawal was supposed to investigate allegations that FIRS was hiring people illegally as far back as April, but “simply ignored the issue.” It was also learned that at least 4 of the 27 illegal hires Mr. Lawal sponsored came from his wife.

Mr. Lawal told SaharaReporters by text and email that he was categorically certain that he had no role in the illegal hires and that reports linking him were false.

President Buhari’s Senior Special Advisers to the National Assembly, Kawu Sumaila and Ita Enang, are also listed as sponsors in the FIRS hires. Mr. Sumaila, SSA to the House of Representatives, sponsored five job slots; Mr. Enang, eight. Sources explained that Mr. Fowler provided these slots to Mr. Sumaila and Mr. Enang as a gesture of good faith concerning future requests.

Sources explained the keywords used to convey who was sponsoring which illegal candidate:

· CD meant Coordinating Director in various FIRS groups

· EC stood for Executive Chairman, meaning Mr. Fowler;

· DG BPSR meant Joe Abah, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms;

· FCC stood for the Federal Character Commission, the Commissioners of which received job slots to distribute in exchange for ignoring the fact that FIRS was not publicly advertising the jobs.


Sahara Reporters Media
SaharaReporters sources could not confirm the code words “Baba” or “Mama”, which sponsored at least 20 and 10 jobs respectively, but curiously a duplicate name sponsored by “Mama” was also listed as being sponsored by “Small Villa.” It is believed that the code names were referring to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is widely called Baba, while "Mama" might be his wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari. Our sources could not confirm to whom or what “Small Villa” represented, either.

As in the case of CBN Governor Emiefiele, sour sources explained to that Mr. Fowler was the mastermind for this monumental illegl employment scheme as a way for him to maintain control of FIRS even if he got sacked by President Buhari.

“FIRS not only has a massive budget but if Tunde were to leave he would still be able to influence the FIRS,” one source explained.

He added: “Tunde would be able to peddle influence and buy favors from Nigerian companies to give them assistance manipulating FIRS” after he leaves.

Sources from the FIRS also explained to our correspondent that most of these illegal hires were relatives or friends of the sponsors but that some job slots were sold for money.

Other names which are listed as having sponsored some of the illegal FIRS jobs are the Attorney General to the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Chief Pius Akinyelure; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon; the Head of Service, Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita; the former FIRS Executive Chairman Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru; Minister of Information Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State for Planning Zainab Ahmed; the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; former FIRS boss Alhaji Kabir Mashi; and APC Deputy Publicity Secretary Timi Frank.

According to SaharaReporters’ investigation, six of the new recruits are of the position of deputy director, while 10 are assistant directors. Thirty-four others are of the rank of deputy manager, while the rest are made up of senior managers, managers, assistant managers and officers.

The full list of sponsors and illegal hires can be viewed below:

FIRS Sponsor List