The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officer, Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, for allegedly receiving N17.6 million in salaries from three different government agencies.
Aseku, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI), was brought before Justice Binta Dogonyaro of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday. He faces a nine-count charge of corruption and abuse of office.
According to the ICPC, Aseku fraudulently received N4.2 million in salaries from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2015 while simultaneously working with the NIS. Between 2018 and 2019, he allegedly collected an additional N13.4 million in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) while still employed by the Immigration Service.
Further investigations revealed that Aseku, serving as a pay officer within the NIS, also facilitated the illegal payment of N4.7 million to seven individuals who were neither employees of the service nor on its payroll.
One of the charges against him states: “That you, Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, between October 2018 and October 2019, in Abuja, while serving as an Assistant Superintendent Immigration Officer, used your position to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself by receiving a total sum of N13,400,889.90 in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources, while concurrently employed by the Nigerian Immigration Service, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Aseku pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Basil Hemba, urged the court to maintain his client’s existing bail terms, previously granted by another FCT High Court in Maitama.
Justice Dogonyaro upheld the bail conditions and adjourned the case to April 29 for further hearing.
