The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a conviction against a former National Examinations Council (NECO) employee for certificate forgery and related corrupt practices.
Abdulwahab Sule, who was dismissed from NECO in 2020 after irregularities in his credentials were uncovered, was found guilty by the High Court of Niger State in Minna. Presiding Judge Abdullahi Mikailu delivered the verdict in Charge No: NSHC/ICPC/1C/2023.
The court convicted Sule on three counts: dishonestly using a forged document as genuine, possession of a forged document, and making false statements. Investigations by the ICPC revealed that Sule had fraudulently used a forged Diploma certificate, purportedly issued by the Federal University of Technology, Yola (now Modibbo Adama University, Yola), to secure employment with NECO in January 2009. The certificate, dated March 18, 2008, was confirmed by the university not to have been issued by them.
Further findings indicated that Sule had not completed his studies and still had outstanding courses at the time he claimed to have graduated. In August 2020, he knowingly made false representations to NECO’s Director of Human Resource Management, falsely claiming to have obtained the Diploma certificate. During the ICPC’s investigation, Sule admitted to not completing his studies and disclosed that he paid N30,000 to procure the forged certificate.
The court sentenced Sule to twelve years imprisonment on Count One, ten years on Count Two, and two years on Count Three. The sentences are to run concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of twelve years.
The ICPC reiterated its commitment to sanitising public institutions and warned that individuals engaging in forgery, falsification of records, and other corrupt practices will be brought to justice. The Commission also urged organisations to sustain regular verification of staff credentials to prevent similar occurrences and strengthen institutional integrity.
