SaharaReporters reported on Thursday that NCS Zone ‘H’, Makurdi Zonal headquarters demanded a total sum of N1,578,000 from four commands under it namely, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, and Zone ‘H’ Makurdi, for the conduct of the 2023 senior officer’s promotion examinations.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Zone ‘H’, Makurdi Zonal headquarters has rescinded its demand for financial contribution from four state commands under its jurisdiction for the conduct of the 2023 senior officer’s promotion examinations.
SaharaReporters reported on Thursday that NCS Zone ‘H’, Makurdi Zonal headquarters demanded a total sum of N1,578,000 from four commands under it namely, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, and Zone ‘H’ Makurdi, for the conduct of the 2023 senior officer’s promotion examinations.
The demand which 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, was to enable the office pay for hotel accommodations, venue for examinations, feeding, fuelling of cars for easy movements and attend to other necessary issue that may come up during the period.
Immediately after SaharaReporters reported the demand for the financial contribution, the directive was rescinded.
In another memo with Ref NCOS/ZH/GEN. 15/VOL.1/16, dated July 27, 2023, titled: "Request For Your Support To Enable This Office Host 2023 Senior Officer's Promotion Examination. Withdrawal Of," the zonal headquarters ordered that no command under the Zone is authorised to task any staff financially for the exercise or any other intent supposedly connected to the exercise.
The memo which was signed by S.D. Kinane, Zonal Coordinator Zone "H" Makurdi, was addressed to the Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service, State Headquarters Office —Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Plateau.
The memo which SaharaReporters obtained on Friday, reads: "I wish to draw your attention to an earlier circular via No:
NCOS/ZH/GEN.15/VOL.1/15 and dated 25/07/23 in respect of the subject in reference, and to inform you that the document relating to the conduct of the forthcoming promotion exercise which emanated from the office of the Zonal Coordinator, Zone 'H' is hereby withdrawn and its contents retracted.
"Consequently, no Command under the Zone is authorized to task any staff financially for the exercise or any other intent supposedly connected to the exercise. You are therefore warned as this retraction supersedes the previous document which should henceforth be treated invalid and of no moment.
"Accord the contents of this circular with the utmost seriousness and compliance it deserves, please," its reads.
SaharaReporters had reported that in the previous memo, "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 the under-listed 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 to pay for hotel accommodations, venue for examinations, feeding, fueling of cars for easy movement, and attend to another 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 had 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, the investigation will be carried out. Part of the mandate of the 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 in the public domain because the Controller General will never take it lightly if such notice is released that staff should pay."