ICPC Secures Conviction of NSCDC Officer for Certificate Forgery and Corrupt Advantage

 

ICPC Secures Conviction of NSCDC Officer for Certificate Forgery and Corrupt Advantage

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of one Hassan Abdullahi, a Superintendent of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), over charges of certificate forgery and obtaining corrupt advantage.

Delivering judgment, Hon. Justice E. Okpe of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja, found the defendant guilty on a two-count charge filed by the ICPC.

During the trial, ICPC Prosecutor Hamza Sani presented evidence showing that the convict dishonestly submitted a forged Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) from Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu, Kebbi State, to the NSCDC in December 2010 for career progression.

This offence contravenes Section 366 and is punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Act. Consequently, the court sentenced Abdullahi to two (2) years imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000,000 on Count One.

On Count Two, the court found that between December 2011 and October 2022, Abdullahi used his position as a public officer to confer an unlawful advantage on himself by receiving salaries and benefits tied to the rank of Senior Inspector benefits obtained through the fraudulent certificate.

The act violates Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The court sentenced him to five (5) years imprisonment without an option of fine.

In addition, acting under Section 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the court ordered Abdullahi to refund all salaries, allowances, and benefits he received from the date of his fraudulent promotion until he stopped receiving federal government salaries.

The ICPC described the judgment as a strong affirmation of the judiciary’s commitment to combating corruption, particularly within the public service.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to thorough investigation and prosecution of all corruption cases and urged government institutions to strengthen internal verification processes to prevent fraudulent activities such as certificate forgery.