Civil Defence parades 3 suspects over employment scam in Niger

Three suspects who specialize in the issuance of fake employment letters to unsuspected applicants were over the weekend, paraded by Niger State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

Parading the suspects before the news men on Saturday, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Philips Ayuba said one Hassan Mohammed, 56, ( (aka Alfa) another Abdullahi Usman 40, and a 37-year old Isah Shehu,connived and were issuing employment letters into the Nigeria Immigration Service to unsuspecting applicants.

He said the suspects were arrested at Gbada community in Shiroro local government area, where they fled after the realisation that the NSCDC personnel were on their trail.

The first suspect, Hassan, also referred to as Alfa, was said to have been the mastermind with his account number used for the operation.

The NSCDC boss said Hassan collected the sum of N550, 000 from three suspects before luck ran out on the team.

Hassan told Tribune Crime at the Command’s premises that the botched operation was the first of such shady deals even as he promised not to indulge in such acts again.

One of the victims, Victor Njoku said he came across the prime suspect in a friend’s shop in Kuje Area Council, , Abuja and got interested in the discussion with him over the recruitment exercise.

He said he had to travel to relations in Lagos to raise money and that in the process, two friends who were unemployed also indicated interest in joining the Service.

He stated further that between himself and the three friends, the sum of 450,000 was raised and delivered to Hassan.

He said Hassan told him that the employment letters were ready to be picked in Minna, while the main training was billed for Ilorin, Kwara state.

He said they had to alert the security agents when they discovered that the whole thing was a scam.

Ayuba urged the general public to be cautious about those they release money to for recruitment purpose.