Court Convicts NSCDC Deputy Commandant Over N4.55m Job Racketeering Scheme

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has convicted a senior officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Idris Barde, for his role in a job racketeering scheme involving more than N4.5 million.

The conviction was secured by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which announced the outcome in a statement issued on Thursday.

According to the anti-corruption agency, Justice Ngozika Nwabulu of the FCT High Court sitting in Kurudu found Barde guilty on charges linked to the illegal collection of money under the guise of facilitating recruitment into the NSCDC.

N4.55 Million Recruitment Deal

The ICPC said Barde, a Deputy Commandant of the NSCDC and former personal assistant to ex-Commandant General Abdullahi Gana, was prosecuted on two counts arising from his alleged receipt of N4.55 million from a citizen, Igbo Christian Okechukwu.

Prosecutors told the court that the money was collected on the promise of securing employment opportunities in the NSCDC for seven individuals.

According to one of the charges, Barde, while serving as a public officer attached to the office of the Commandant General in 2017, accepted the funds as an inducement to facilitate recruitment into the paramilitary agency.

The ICPC argued that the conduct violated Section 18(d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Court Finds Defendant Guilty

The commission said it presented both documentary and testimonial evidence during the trial to support the allegations against the defendant.

After reviewing the evidence, Justice Nwabulu convicted Barde and sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment.

The court, however, gave the convict an option of a N4 million fine in lieu of serving the custodial sentence.

The judgment marks the conclusion of a prosecution that focused on alleged abuse of office and the exploitation of job seekers through promises of government employment.

Crackdown on Job Racketeering

The conviction comes amid ongoing efforts by anti-corruption agencies to tackle recruitment fraud and job racketeering within public institutions.

Employment scams involving promises of jobs in government agencies have remained a recurring concern in Nigeria, where high unemployment and intense competition for public sector positions often leave job seekers vulnerable to fraudsters and corrupt officials.

Anti-graft agencies have repeatedly warned Nigerians against making payments to individuals claiming they can influence recruitment processes, stressing that employment into public institutions should follow officially approved procedures.

ICPC Reacts

Reacting to the judgment, the ICPC described the conviction as a demonstration of its commitment to promoting accountability and combating corruption within public service.

The commission said it would continue to investigate and prosecute cases involving abuse of office, bribery and other corruption-related offences.

It also urged public officials to uphold ethical standards in the discharge of their duties and called on citizens to reject unlawful shortcuts in seeking government employment.

According to the ICPC, the judgment reinforces the principle that public office should not be used for personal enrichment at the expense of Nigerians seeking legitimate opportunities.

The anti-corruption agency further assured the public that efforts to combat corruption across government institutions would continue through investigation, prosecution and public enlightenment initiatives.