IPPIS officer admits taking bribe

The investigation into the alleged job racketeering at the Federal Character Commission has taken a different twist as one Haruna Kolo, a former Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) desk officer at the commission has admitted collecting N75 million from some persons on the instruction of the chairman, Farida Dankaka.

Kolo alleged that the FCC chairperson instructed him to send the money to his personal bank account and pay to her in cash, which he did at several meetings in her house. Kolo said he resigned from FCC on November 2, 2022, to begin a new job at the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria AMCON, but still received salary from FCC on two occasion. He revealed that he notified FCC human resource officer about the payment but was told it was not an issue and that it would be handled. He said; When she came to Federal Character Commission as the executive chairman, she appointed me as a protocol officer and I carried out my duty diligently.

On the allegations of job racketeering, the FCC chairman instructed me to liaise with one Mr Shehu, who is a personal driver and PA to Taraba State commissioner.As a desk officer, Im responsible to take whoever is employed to IPPIS for capturing No one can go there without a letter from the chairman or the human resource officer of FCC.When she came, she wrote a letter to the Accountant General instructing that no letter from FCC should be honoured except she signs the letter.

So, whenever there were new employments, she signs, gives to me and I take to the Accountant Generals Office for capturing.Shehu is the one that brought those who paid money to my account for job, some paid N1million, others N1.5 million all to my personal account. She asked me to give cash to her which I did through POS, so there is no evidence of transfer or anything.On the allegation of working at seven places, I was never at anytime involved in seven jobs, they are making the allegation, based on assumption.The second allegation on my subsequent employment to AMCON, that was as a result of her personal favour to me, we were four in number.