SERAP also urged the anti-corruption agencies to “probe allegations that some ministries, departments, and agencies are selling the employment slots at their disposal, with a single slot being allegedly sold for as much as N1.5m”.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission have been asked to “jointly carry out a prompt, thorough, transparent and effective investigation into allegations that principal officers and members of the Nigerian Senate are using their official positions to get job slots from government agencies”.
The call was made by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project in a petition signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP also urged the anti-corruption agencies to “probe allegations that some ministries, departments, and agencies are selling the employment slots at their disposal, with a single slot being allegedly sold for as much as N1.5m”.
It added, “We urge you to prosecute anyone suspected to be involved should you consider there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, and to make public the outcome of any investigation.
“These allegations show the face of public recruitment in Nigeria in recent decades, which has typically been that of political influence, cronyism, patronage, and corruption.
“The allegations amount to a fundamental breach of the Nigerian constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anti-corruption legislation and international obligations, particularly Article 7 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a party.
“The leadership of the Senate allegedly received 100 employment slots from Federal Inland Revenue Service to share among themselves.
“The Senate President Ahmad Lawan allegedly secured 26 job slots from the FIRS.”