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By Chizoba Njaka
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a dismissed staff member of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Mr. Abdulwahab Sule, for certificate forgery and related corrupt practices.
In a press release signed by the Head, Media and Public Communications, ICPC, Okor Odey, the Commission disclosed that the conviction was delivered by the High Court of Niger State sitting in Minna, presided over by Honourable Justice Abdullahi Mikailu, in Charge No: NSHC/ICPC/1C/2023.
Mr. Sule, who was dismissed from NECO in 2020 following the discovery of irregularities in his credentials, was found guilty on a three‑count charge of dishonestly using a forged document as genuine, possession of a forged document, and making false statements to a public officer.
Investigations by the ICPC revealed that the convict fraudulently used a forged Diploma certificate purporting to be issued by the Federal University of Technology, Yola (now Modibbo Adama University, Yola) to secure employment with NECO in January 2009. He remained in the organisation until his dismissal in September 2020.
Further findings showed that the certificate, dated March 18, 2008, did not originate from the university, as confirmed during official verification. The Commission also established that Mr. Sule had not completed his programme and still had outstanding courses at the time he claimed to have graduated.
The ICPC additionally found that he knowingly made false representations to NECO’s Director of Human Resource Management in August 2020, falsely asserting that he had obtained the Diploma certificate. During interrogation, Mr. Sule admitted that he did not complete his studies and disclosed that he paid the sum of N30,000 to procure the forged certificate from an unidentified individual.
Upon conviction, the court sentenced him to twelve (12) years imprisonment on Count One, ten (10) years on Count Two, and two (2) years on Count Three. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, meaning he will serve an effective term of twelve (12) years in prison.
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