Mohammed Shosanya
Mr Haruna Kolo, the former Integrated payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) desk officer, Federal Character Commission,who was accused of collecting monies from people to offer them jobs,Monday admitted to have collected monies totalling over 75 million from persons on the directives of Farida Dankaka, FCC Chairman.
Kolo disclosed that Mrs Farida Dankaka was the the one that instructed him to collect the monies to his personal bank account number which is Eco bank, and pay to her in cash which he did at several meetings at her house, where they meet.
He revealed this at the ongoing investigative hearing by the House of Representative ad-Hoc committee investigating federal ministries, department and agencies, parastatals and tertiary institutions on mismanagement of the Integrated payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS).
According to him,he resigned from FCC on the 2nd of November 2022 to begin work at Asset Management Cooperation of Nigeria but salary was still paid to his account from FCC on two occasion which he said he reported to the FCC Human Resource officer but was told it was not an issue and that it would be handled carefully.
He explained that when Farida Dankaka came to Federal Character as the executive Chairman, Dankaka appointed him as a protocol officer which he carried out his duty diligently.
On the allegations of job racketeering,he said the FCC Chairman instructed him to liaise with one Mr Shehu who is a personal driver and PA to the Taraba state commissioner. As a desk officer, and Mr Kolo admitted that he was responsible taking whoever that was employed to IPPIS for capturing, no one had access going there without a letter from the Chairman or Human Resource officer of FCC.
He added: “When she came, she wrote a letter to the Accountant General instructing that no letter from FCC should be honored except she signs the letter. So when ever there were new employment, she signs, give to me and I take to the Accountant General’s office for capturing.
“Shehu is the one that brought those who paid monies to my account for job, some paid 1million others 1.5 million all to my personal account, my Eco bank account. She asked me to give cash to her which I did through POS so there is not evidence of transfer or anything.
“On the allegation of working at 7 places, I was never at anytime involved in 7jobs, they are making the allegation based on assumption.
“The second allegation on my subsequent employment to AMCOM, that was as a result of her personal favour to me, we were 4 in number, she gave the appointment letter to myself Kadijah, Olushola, we all proceeded for interview at AMCON headquarters Abuja after which we were called upon for training on the 16th January 2023, after the training, I and Olushola were called to lagos. Unfortunately, Kadijah who is the Chairman’s biological sister was rejected, The Chairman accused me of been responsible for her rejection.
“I see no reason why the Chairperson will make allegations of such magnitude to my humble self. I have been threatened even at gun point and had to leave Abuja”.
He said: “Mr Chairman, I want this committee to know that after this sitting if anything happens to me the FCC chairperson should be held responsible.I have received threats so many times, even at gun point, to an extent I ran away, out of Abuja inorder to be safe”
Responding to various submissions by Haruna Kolo and the Chairperson FCC, the chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi said the committee will leave no stone unturned to get the truth out for Nigerians to See, and for Kolo’s safety, it’s guaranteed.
“This committee will not sit down and watch taxpayers money being embezzled but this committee too will be very careful in indicting futures of people just as Osun was talking. I said in the speech I read I didn’t see relationship between selling this and selling that. I was very clear. I know why we were asking Kolo to give us evidence and we know why we were deferring this sitting for other witnesses that are alleged to have had financial dealings with Federal Character.
“Federal Character thank you for coming, Kolo appear here tomorrow. We are calling the other witnesses. We will allow you to do your work. Whosever that is found wanting will answer his father’s name, including Kolo Haruna.
“See Haruna Kolo, I am not saying anything will happen to you but by law you are not supposed to leave here without being arrested. For a civil servants that has thirty something million in his account that admitted publicly that you are serving as a front to aid corruption. So I am quiet, I think and I don’t want to take you up on that because we don’t want to be seen to be sentimental. We want to as much possible protect you to get evidence against you and against others.
“God will save you and God will save us all. Nothing will happen to you because anybody that wants to harm you knows that if they harm you we have suspect. So nothing is going to harm you.
Hon. Gagdi thanked the Federal Character, and begged that nothing should happen to Kolo, that Kolo is the committee’s ruling.