A couple and three accomplices have been paraded by the Niger State Police Command for running a NECO job scam.
The couple and their accomplices were accused of defrauding over 50 persons of monies worth more than N10 million, promising them employment at the National Examinations Council’s headquarters in Minna.
The syndicates, which posed as NECO’s recruiting agents, were arrested at a hotel in Minna, Niger State, after a tip-off by the internal security network set up by NECO’s Registrar, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi.
Among those arrested were 28-year-old woman, Patience Adamu, and her 48-year-old husband, Matthew Samson, both of whom reside in Minna.
Others are: 38-year-old Godwin Mathew, 35-year-old Emmanuel David and 29-year-old Peter Samuel, all residents of Kaduna, in Kaduna State.
According to the Spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, Patience was arrested alongside her husband and three other suspects after a tip-off.
“On 20/05/2022 at about 1230hrs, based on a tip off that suspected syndicate of job scammers were sighted at a hotel in Minna, documenting some applicants for placement into the National Examination Council (NECO) Headquarters, Minna.
“On the receipt of this information, Police operatives attached to the Intelligence Unit of the Command swung into action and arrested the suspects.”
DSP Abiudun also said that during interrogation, Patience confessed that she had contacted about 10 unsuspecting members of the public since the year 2020 till date for a job replacement offer at NECO with a payment of N500,000 each, adding that the victims made half payments, promising to pay the balance after receiving their appointment letters.
“In the course of this investigation,” DSP Abiodun continued, “we have discovered over 50 (people) who have fallen victim to the job racketeering, with an amount of over 10 million naira.”
He advised members of the public to be wary of job scammers of this nature and avoid desperation in the name of seeking for employment.
Speaking on the incident, the Spokesperson of NECO, Azeez Sani, urged the public not to seek for NECO jobs through a third party, adding that if NECO were to employ new workers, it would follow the normal channel, which include making it public through advertisement.
Writing by Daniel Adejo; Editing by Tony Okerafor
