Nasarawa State’s representative in the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Commissioner Manman Alakai, vehemently denied allegations of accepting bribes to secure employment for job seekers. Alakai appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee that is currently investigating job racketeering within various Federal Government agencies. In his testimony, he refuted claims of collecting money from individuals seeking job placements in Ministries, Departments, or Agencies (MDAs).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) previously reported that Musa Ibrahim, a victim of the job racketeering scheme, testified before the committee on August 14th. Ibrahim alleged that he and nine others made payments amounting to millions of naira into Mr. Abdullahi Ibrahim’s account. The latter supposedly acted as a middleman for Commissioner Alakai, facilitating the collection of funds from job seekers.
However, Commissioner Alakai countered the claims made by Ibrahim, stating that while he was familiar with Ibrahim, the latter had never served as his Personal Assistant or worked in the FCC. Presenting his defense, Alakai shared an incident where a traditional ruler from Nasarawa informed him that one of his aides had solicited money from him in exchange for job slots.
“I immediately alerted the police and requested a trace on the phone number. The investigation led to Ibrahim, and I promptly submitted a petition to the police. When they apprehended him, a uniform belonging to the Nigerian Correctional Service was discovered at his residence. He claimed to be an employee of the service. I was informed that the victims of his fraud had pursued legal action,” Alakai explained.
Commissioner Alakai further challenged the committee to thoroughly investigate his bank account to verify Ibrahim’s allegations. He claimed full transparency, urging the committee members to examine his financial records regarding the alleged payments made for job slots.
In response, Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman of the Committee, confirmed that evidence of transfers to Ibrahim’s account had been submitted by approximately nine individuals. This revelation prompted the invitation of Commissioner Alakai to provide his side of the story, considering Ibrahim’s assertion that he was working on behalf of Alakai.
Expressing frustration at Musa Ibrahim’s absence, the chairman stated, “You cannot make public allegations against a public officer without presenting substantive evidence. We have nothing further to discuss, as the individuals making these allegations are not present. If they are not simply following a script, they should be here to provide additional evidence. We will not permit baseless blackmail without concrete facts.”
The chairman made it clear that no further invitation would be extended to anyone from the FCC. He also revealed that the committee had uncovered two significant issues within the commission: accusations against the chairman and the sale of job slots among commissioners.
