An Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, Mr. Abubakar Aseku, has been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for allegedly drawing salaries from three different government agencies while serving with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
Mr. Aseku was brought before Justice Binta Dogonyaro of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, on Tuesday. He faced a nine-count charge, including allegations of abuse of office and corruption.
Multiple Salary Fraud Allegations
According to the ICPC, Mr. Aseku illegally received N4.2 million in salaries from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2015 while employed as a school teacher—despite already being on active duty with the NIS.
Further investigations revealed that between 2018 and 2019, he allegedly collected an additional N13.4 million in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) while still serving as an immigration officer.
The prosecution also accused Mr. Aseku, in his capacity as an NIS pay officer, of facilitating the illegal payment of N4.7 million to seven individuals who were neither NIS employees nor on its payroll.
One of the charges presented in court stated:
“That you, Abubakar Mohammed Aseku, between October 2018 and October 2019, in Abuja, while serving as an Assistant Superintendent Immigration Officer, used your position to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself by receiving a total sum of N13,400,889.90 in salaries from the Department of Petroleum Resources, while concurrently employed by the Nigerian Immigration Service, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Court Proceedings and Bail Conditions
Mr. Aseku pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Mr. Basil Hemba, informed the court that his client had previously been granted bail by another FCT High Court in Maitama. He urged the court to maintain the existing bail conditions.
Justice Dogonyaro upheld the earlier bail terms, as confirmed by ICPC spokesman, Mr. Demola Bakare.
ICPC’s counsel, Mr. Michael Adesola, then requested an adjournment to allow the prosecution time to present its witnesses. The judge granted the request and adjourned the case to April 29, 2025, for further hearing.
