By Nkechi Eze
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has secured the conviction of a dismissed staff member of the National Examinations Council, Abdulwahab Sule, over offences bordering on certificate forgery and related corrupt practices.
In an official signed statement, the Head of Media and Public Communications of the Commission, J. Okor Odey, disclosed that the judgment was delivered by the High Court of Niger State sitting in Minna, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Mikailu.
Sule, who was dismissed from NECO in 2020 following the discovery of discrepancies in his credentials, was found guilty on a three-count charge bordering on the use and possession of forged documents, as well as making false statements.
Investigations by the ICPC revealed that the convict fraudulently used a forged Diploma certificate purportedly issued by the Federal University of Technology Yola to secure employment with NECO in January 2009, where he remained until his dismissal in September 2020.
Further verification confirmed that the certificate, dated March 18, 2008, did not originate from the institution. The Commission also established that Sule had not completed his studies and still had outstanding courses at the time he claimed to have graduated.
The ICPC further found that the convict made false representations to NECO’s Director of Human Resource Management in August 2020, claiming he had legitimately obtained the Diploma certificate. During investigation, he admitted to not completing his studies and revealed that he paid ₦30,000 to procure the forged document.
Upon conviction, the court sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment on count one, 10 years on count two, and two years on count three. The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he will serve 12 years in prison.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to sanitising public institutions, warning that acts of forgery, falsification of records, and other corrupt practices will continue to attract stiff legal consequences. It also urged organisations to strengthen verification processes for staff credentials to safeguard institutional integrity.
