The newly appointed Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Magaji, has made a significant discovery within just one week of assuming office. A total of 189 fake companies have been exposed, all of which were set up with the intention of defrauding innocent Nigerians.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr. Magaji revealed that a criminal syndicate responsible for operating these unregistered companies has been apprehended by the commission. He expressed satisfaction in achieving this milestone so early into his tenure and confirmed that these non-existent entities conspired with lawyers claiming to be accredited agents of the commission.
“In collaboration with certain individuals from the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), they manipulated the system to gain priority for their fraudulent applications over the legitimate ones,” Mr. Magaji explained.
With the aid of security agents, the suspected criminals were arrested after a report was filed by the FCTA (Federal Capital Territory Administration) prompting the commission to verify the applications made by certain entities. Investigations ultimately revealed that the companies in question were completely fabricated.
“These criminals would create fake entities and apply for land at the FCTA, cunningly maneuvering their way to prioritize their applications over legitimate ones,” he continued. “They have succeeded in this deceitful scheme on numerous occasions in the past.”
Reiterating his determination to stop such illicit activities, the Registrar-General shared his plans to enhance the revenue of the commission. He emphasized the importance of human capital development and acknowledged that the welfare of staff had been an ongoing issue that needed urgent attention.
In line with the government’s objective to facilitate ease of doing business, Mr. Magaji confirmed that the Commission would work towards simplifying the registration process and reviewing charges accordingly. He reminded the staff of their responsibility to contribute to the progress of the organization, promising that the management would do their part.
It is crucial to note that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has placed a strong emphasis on ease of doing business, and the Commission is committed to supporting this agenda.
Hussaini Magaji took on the role of Registrar-General of the CAC on October 13th.
NAN
