NECO: Police Arrest Couple, 3 Others  Over Job Racketeering

The Niger State Police Command has arrested a couple involved in job rackeetering using the name of National Examinations Council (NECO).
The syndicate also involved other three accomplices who had allegedly defrauded over 50 persons of monies worth over N10 million.
They were alleged to have wooed their victims with promises of providing them employment at the National Examinations Council’s headquarters in Minna.
The syndicate, 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, Prof Ibrahim Wushishi.
Those arrested are a 28-year-old woman, Patience Adamu, and her 48-year-old husband, Matthew Samson, residing in Minna. Others are 38-year-old Godwin Mathew, 35-year-old Emmanuel David and 29-year-old Perter Samuel, all residents of Kaduna, in Kaduna Sate.
Spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, saidv 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 Intelligence Unit of the Command swung into action and arrested the following suspects: Patience Adamu,28 years of Talba Estate Kpakungu, Minna, Mathew Samson aged 48 years of same address, Godwin Mathew aged 35 years of Kaduna State, Emmanuel David aged 35 years of Kaduna State and Peter Samuel aged 29 years of Kaduna State,” he said.
He disclosed  that during interrogation, Patience confessed that she had contacted about ten 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 each of the victims made half payment and to pay the balance after issuing them with appointment letters.
He added:“However, she claimed to have arranged a fake documentation for the victims as one of them were pressurising for the next stage of this job placement while she invited three other persons in conspiracy with her husband, Mathew Samson to carry out the fake documentation.
“She said that her intention was to raise money for business and to refund these victims after the business must have boomed. That she had no employment offer or any connection for job placement at NECO.
“In the course of this investigation, we have discovered over 50 victims who have fallen victim of the job racketeering with an amount of over 10 million naira,” he said while advising members of the public to be wary of job scammers of this nature and avoid desperation in the name of seeking for employment.
At a press conference in Minna, where the alleged syndicate was paraded, Patience confessed to have collected over N10 million from her victims, the proceeds of which she used to purchase four landed property in Kaduna.
 “It started in 2020. I collected money from 30 and above people. I charged them N500,000. You pay half and when the job is out you pay the balance; but some people paid N180,000, N200,000, some paid N300,000 and some N500,000.
“I have collected more than N10 million. I acquired some landed property with some of the money. I have two kids,” she said.
She denied having any links with NECO, adding that her intention was to refund the monies collected from her victims after starting her business, but for the threat that came on her team.
“I wanted to raise the money for business. I have even started refunding some people. My husband is not aware. I have purchased four lands in Kaduna. The highest was purchased at N1.8 million and the least is N1.5 million,” she said.
One of the victims who spoke anonymously, said he knew about Patience from a friend; so, they went to her house to make some confirmation.
Spokesperson of NECO, Mr Azeez Sani, advised the public not to seek for NECO job through a third party.
He said the examination body  would follow the normal channel which include making it public through advertisment if intends to employ.
NECO Exams: 100 Enugu  Inmates Get Credit In English, Mathematics 

No fewer than 100 inmates of Nigerian Correctional Service serving in Enugu State have made credits in English and Mathematics in the recently released National Examination Council (NECO) November/December, 2021 external examination.

Public Relations Officer of Nigerian Correctional Service in Enugu State, DSC Monday Chukwuemeka, disclosed this  in a statement  in Enugu,  saying that the inmates were serving various terms at the Enugu and Nsukka Custodial Centres.

He said 127 inmates registered for the 2021 NECO External Examination, where 40 are inmates of Nsukka Custodial Centre and 87 are inmates of Enugu Custodial Centre.

He said that the inmates’ registrations for the NECO Examination were sponsored by CAPIO, Isaac Blessing Foundation and AGADIBE Foundation.

He  added:”The Controller of Corrections in Enugu State Command, Mr Nicholas Obiako, has sent his congratulatory message to the inmates and encourages the general public to assist in the reformation process of inmates in custodial centres.

“The service under the leadership of Controller-General of Corrections, Mr Haliru Nababa, is poised to provide platforms for inmates to develop themselves while in custody,” Chukwuemeka said.

[5/13, 11:55 AM] Mohammed Shosanya: EDUCATION
Exam Malpractices: Council Indicts 20 Bayelsa Schools

The National Council on Education has indicted 20 secondary schools in Bayelsa State that were allegedly involved in examination malpractices during the 2021/2022 terminal examinations organised recently by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) in the country.

Jacob Osusu, the Director of Secondary Education Department in the state ministry of education,disclosed this at a one-day sensitisation programme with the theme, “Examination Malpractices in Public and Private Secondary Schools and its Effects: The Way Forward”, in Yenagoa.

He also said 23 teachers were found culpable for allegedly aiding and abetting examination malpractices in the state.

He added that  of the 20 indicted secondary schools, five of them had been de-recognised as examination centres in Bayelsa ,while the rest were handed stern warning based on the degree of the offences committed.

Expressing concern over the incidents, he said,”Five schools were de-recognised and they are made up of four public schools and one private school based on different forms of examination malpractices with candidates colluding with one another, topping the list of offences.

“While 15 other secondary schools were given warning letters based on similar reasons. Also, 23 participants (teachers) in the WAEC/NECO were also blacklisted and dropped from further supervision of such examinations in the state.”

He implored the state ministry of education and the state government to punish principals of secondary schools found culpable in order to discourage the rising rate of examination malpractices in schools in the state.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Gentle Emelah, said the government had noted the decision of the national council on education.

He said that the state lacked sufficient teachers at present, stressing that “those available should ensure that students are well groomed to face the challenges of examinations without involving in malpractices.”

Union Faults 25% Deduction From NECO’s Account, Threatens Strike 

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has accused the Federal Government of deducting 25% from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The union conveyed their displeasure to the act  in a petition written to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
It demanded  immediate halt of the deductions, saying that it may resort to industrial action to press home its demands.
NASU, in the letter signed by NECO branch Secretary, Comrade Reuben  Emdin and made available to journalists lamented that the deduction has taken a major toll on the finances of the examination body as well as staff welfare.
Saying the exam body  is not a revenue generating agency, the union implored  the minister to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari  to approve the immediate stoppage of the 25 per cent deduction and ensure refunds to clear outstanding entitlement and allowances owed NECO staff.
The petition said : “As critical stakeholders in the National Examinations Council (NECO), we are compelled to notify you formally of a 25percent deduction currently enforced by the Federal Government on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the Council since the year 2021.
“Honourable Minister, we are not unmindful of the fact that this issue has already been brought before you by the Council and your effort towards a resolution which led to a presidential intervention on behalf of the Council that allowed for the release of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (Internal) 2021.
“Our position however is that the National Examinations Council (NECO) would not require any kind of intervention from the Federal Government if the 25 percent  deduction was not carried out in the first place. More so that this policy is clearly crippling the activities of the Council and its ability to carry out its mandate. As a Union, we are concerned about the survival of our institution and the welfare of our members, clearly this policy has become a threat to both.
“As such, we can no longer sit and remain silent in the face of an apparent danger to our source of livelihood. The fact that today we have a series of unpaid promotion arrears dating back to 2017, unpaid salaries as a result of migration to IPPIS between the months of March to August 2015, unpaid transfer allowances for a number of years, all of which the Council has not been able to pay, we see no reason why this policy should continue”.