The concerned officer, Mohammed with Service No. 9026 is attached to the Federal Capital Territory Command.
The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, has allegedly refused to release one of the corps officers, identified as DSC Idris Mohammed, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation over forgery of his (Mohammed) University degree certificate.
SaharaReporters gathered that the ICPC wrote to the Commandant General of NSCDC on July 14, 2023, with ref: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/216 to release DSC Idris Mohammed for investigation but the CG refused to release him till date.
The concerned officer, Mohammed with Service No. 9026 is attached to the Federal Capital Territory Command.
SaharaReporters learnt that he is alleged to have forged the degree certificate of the University of Ilorin, with certificate No 005284 with a graduation date of 16th December 2008. The officer claimed in the said degree certificate that he was awarded a Bachelor of Social Science in the Second Class Upper on Merit – the same certificate he used to secure the NSCDC employment.
Sequel to the allegation of forgery of the University certificate, the anti-corruption agency in a letter to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, with ref: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/144, dated April 13, 2023, requested for the verification and confirmation of the certificate the personnel Idris Mohammed Musa.
The letter which SaharaReporters obtained on Wednesday, titled: "INVESTIGATION ACTIVITIES VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF CERTIFICATE. RE: Idris Mohammed Musa" was signed by Akeem Lawal, Director, Operation for the Chairman of ICPC.
It partly read: "The Commission is investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
"Pursuant to Section 28 of the said Act, you are kindly requested to confirm the genuineness or otherwise of the attached certificate of Bachelor of Social Science with Second Class Upper on merit issued On 16th December 2008.
"In view of the above, you are kindly required to release the REGISTRAR to appear before the undersigned on Thursday 27 of April, 2023 at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja by 10.00 am and to come along with Certified True Copy of the University of Ilorin Graduate's list for students that graduated in 2008 for Bachelor of social science."
The University in response to the investigation inquiry of the ICPC disowned the certificate purportedly issued to Idris Mohammed Musa.
In a reply letter to the ICPC with Ref: UIL/RO/I.27 dated May 4, 2023, and signed by the Registrar M.A. Alfanla, the university stated that it did not offer or award any degree named Bachelor of Social Science.
The letter SaharaReporters obtained was titled: "RE: INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES, VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF CERTIFICATE (- Idris Mohammed Musa)".
It reads: "I refer to your letter Reference Number ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/144 dated 13th April 2023 on the above subject and humbly write to state that the attached certificate of Idris Mohammed Musa was not issued by the University of Ilorin. The University does not have any record on Idris Mohammed Musa, to indicate that Idris M. Musa was a student of the university.
"In addition, the University does not offer or award any degree named Bachelor of Social Science hence the University will not award Bachelor of Social Science neither classify its degree as Second Class Upper on Merit. Certified True Copy of the Order of Proceedings for the year 2008 is herewith attached.
"In conclusion, Idris Mohammed Musa is not a graduate of the University of Ilorin and University did not award the claimed Certificate by Idris Mohammed Musa.
"Accept the assurances of the Vice Chancellor's highest regards, please," the letter reads.
SaharaReporters learnt that following the outcome of the investigation, the ICPC charged Idris Mohammed Musa to Court for forgery of University Certificate.
Meanwhile, the Commandant General of NSCDC “refused to release the Officer for prosecution”, an insider source from ICPC told SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
According to the source, this is despite the official communication to the Commandant dated July 14, 2023, as the said officer is still working with the FCT Command.
The letter to CG was copied to DCG. Admin, Commandant CT Command, O/C Human Resources, was titled: "INVESTIGATION ACTIVITIES".
It partly read: "The Commission is investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
"Pursuant to Section 28 of the above Act, you are kindly requested to release O/C Human Resources to appear before the undersigned on Wednesday 24th July 2023 at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja by 10:00 am.
"The officer is to come along with original and certified true copies of open and secret files of DSC Idris Mohammed with Service No. 9026 attached to FCT Command."
When SaharaReporters contacted the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, over the case, it denied that the Commandant General was shielding the said personnel from prosecution.
The immediate past National Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu and current Commandant of FCT Command said "the ICPC or whoever is interested in the case should write a remind letter to the Commandant General over the case.
"There is no way the CG will be shielding an officer on criminal infraction. I can tell you that the CG may have not known this person from Adam; so how can he be shielding him? He may have minuted the July letter to the command where the said officer is serving but if the investigating agency didn't see the personnel in question, the proper thing is to remind the CG.
"So, the right thing to be done is to remind the CG in a letter over the case by the investigating agency."