The memo was addressed to Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service State Commands –Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi and Plateau.
This is to enable this office pay for hotel accommodations, venue for examinations, feeding, fueling of cars for easy movement and attend to other necessary issue that may come up during the period.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Zone ‘H’, Makurdi Zonal headquarters has demanded a total sum of N1,578,000 from four commands –Benue Command, Nasarawa Command, Kogi Command, Plateau Command and Zone ‘H’ Makurdi, for the conduct of the 2023 senior officer’s promotion examinations.
This is contained in a memo dated July 23, 2023, titled 'Request for Your Support To Enable This Office Host 2023 Senior Officer's Promotion Examination' and signed on behalf of the zonal coordinator by the Assistant Controller of Corrections (H/R), Michael O. Obande.
The memo was addressed to Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service State Commands –Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi and Plateau.
The memo read, "Reference to the CGC's vide: Radio message GEN.24/S.21/T2/VOL.III/564 dated 24th July, 2023, in respect of the 2023 senior officer's promotion examinations, which shall commence Tuesday, 1st to 5th August, 2023, I am directed to request you to support this office with underlisted amount:
“Benue Command - N214,000; Nasarawa Command - N696,000; Kogi Command - N294,000; Plateau Command - N340,000; Zone 'H' Makurdi - N34,000.
"You are to send the aforementioned money on or before 29th July, 2023 vide: Account no: 0075315688. Bank: Access. Name: David T. Hembeve.
"This is to enable this office pay for hotel accommodations, venue for examinations, feeding, fueling of cars for easy movement and attend to other necessary issue that may come up during the period. Treat as urgent."
"This is to let you know about the recent extortion of staff members of the service. This is how they indirectly extort money from us," a source told SaharaReporters.
However, when SaharaReporters contacted the spokesperson for the NCoS, Abubakar Umar, for comments, he said the matter would be investigated.
Umar said, "The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service frowns on indiscriminate levies in the name of whatever.
"Secondly, this information has not reached my table yet, and if it does, of course, investigation will be carried out. Part of the mandate of Controller General is to see to the welfare of the staff and the last promotion release was very unprecedented because that was the first of its kind, and as a follow-up to that, that is why they said people who are eligible to fill that form should go for next promotion.
"This straight promotion was not meant to be used to collect any money from any staff member. It is never a directive from the Controller General.
"I will send my corps to the said zone to know if such a thing is actually on public domain because the Controller General will never take it lightly if such notice is actually released that staff should pay."