Job racketeering: Reps issue arrest warrant on ex-FCC, IPPIS officials

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating employment racketeering in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), on Thursday, August 10, 2023, issued a warrant of arrest on a former staff of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Haruna Kolo, and IPPIS desk officer.

Kolo, who is now an official of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), appeared before the committee on July 7, 2023, over allegations bothering on the selling of job slots.

Kolo said he did in collaboration with the chairman of the FCC, Farida Dankaka, during his appearance, admitting to collecting money for employment on behalf of the chairman.

Kolo had also expressed fear for his safety as he said Dankaka should be held responsible if anything happened to him.

He has however failed to honour the invitation of the committee to appear in subsequent hearings on July 8 and 9.

AMCON also failed to turn up for the probe despite invitations to the company.

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Speaking on Thursday, the chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, said a warrant of arrest would be issued against Kolo, adding that he would be brought in by the security agencies.

The chairman also decried the attitude of some MDAs for avoiding the probe, adding that there would be sanctions henceforth for any agency that failed to honour the invitation of the committee.

Gagdi said: “We have made our position very clear and we have resolved to further communicate through newspaper for these agencies to make sure they have cause appearance before this committee.

“We are going to make our position very public in various dailies and televisions stations beginning from tomorrow giving agencies the last warning that they should appear before this committee on Monday.

“All our witnesses that we have equally asked them to be here are going to appear before us on August 14 and 15 in continuation to this hearing.”

The lawmaker stated that MDAs would begin to see the other side of the committee from August 14.

He said, for Kolo, the position of the committee was that he would lose his freedom, adding that it would issue a warrant of arrest on Kolo and compel security agencies to present him before it.

The Star