Five Bauchi Govt Officials Arrested For Pension Scam, Forgery, Fraud

Fiver local government Pension Board officials have been apprehended in Bauchi State for allegedly involved in condemnable acts which include criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, misappropriation, forgery and fraud.

The development was confirmed in a statement on Saturday, September 19 by the spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Wakili.

Reporting the arrest, Wakili note that the suspects were arrested for alleged pension scam following a letter of complaint to the Police Command on September 12, 2020, from the office of Executive Governor Bauchi State signed by Musa Mohammed Kirfi, the Private Principal Secretary to Governor of Bauchi State against the five officials.

Names and offices of the suspects are revealed as; Mohammed B. Mohammed, Editor of the board, Musa Bappayo, computer operator of the board and Samaila Musa, who are all staff of Local Government Pension Board.

The statement reads; “The letter was received through the office of the commissioner of police for discrete investigation. When interrogated the above-mentioned persons confessed to have inserted about seven illegal beneficiaries’ names into the pensions records fraudulently,”

The police confirmed names illegally inserted into the pension records as Mohammed Namamu (AKA MUHAMADUN FAIZA, Abubakar Muazu.

Wakili revealed further that “these two were the candidates/beneficiaries introduced by Samaila Musa ‘m’ aged 38yrs of Federal Low-cost, whom inserted above-mentioned none of them is a civil servant of the state are receiving sixty-five thousand (N65,000) and eighty-five thousand (N85,000) per month for the period of eighteen (18) month which accumulated to two million seven hundred thousand (N2.700,000).”

“Yasir Sulaiman, 37yrs of bayan airport has two candidates, whom he received (N320,000) per month for the period of (23) month which accumulated to seven million three hundred and sixty thousand (N7.360,000). Garba Bala ‘m’ aged 39yrs of Tirwun Bauchi whom introduced two candidate and receiving N300,000 per month for thirty-six (36) month which accumulated to ten million eight hundred thousand (N10.800,000).”

It continued; “Umar Mohammed Madara ‘m’ aged 49yrs of Ibrahim Bako Bauchi has one candidate, whom he receives one hundred and twenty thousand (N120,000) per month for the period of six (6) month which accumulated to seven hundred and twenty thousand (N720,000).”

Wakili, again reiterated that all suspects mentioned in the report have been apprehended, adding that investigation is in progress and the command is on top gear to arrest the other fleeing suspects.

In another news, Naija News reported that the Rivers State Police Command has arrested Paul Kobani, the Chairman of Gokana Local Area of the state, over an alleged criminal matter.