Maikudi Haruna, a senior official
of the ministry of power, works and housing, has been arrested for allegedly
forging the signature of a former minister.
In a statement by Sunday James,
spokesperson of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Haruna was accused of
forging the signature of the minister in charge of his ministry to help one
Abubakar Mustapha, his client, obtain an official passport.
An official passport is given to
senior federal government officials, state executives and senior military
personnel.
However, James did not mention
the minister whose signature was forged. Until May, Babatunde Fashola was the
minister of power, works and housing.
The statement said Haruna
collected the sum of N250,000 from Mustapha and created the ministry’s staff
identity card for him in order to process the passport with the NIS.
He said despite knowing that
Mustapha was not a staff of the ministry, Haruna went ahead to forge the
minister’s signature on the identity card.
The spokesperson stated that the
suspects have been charged before Taiwo Taiwo, judge of the federal high court,
Abuja, to serve as a deterrent to others who might want to exploit the system
in the future.
He was charged with conspiracy
and making false statement for the purpose of procuring Nigerian passport and
engaging in forgery.
“The Comptroller General of
Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede MFR has vowed not to spare
individual or groups involved in passport related offences from getting away
with it,” he said.
“The warning came at the wake of
the prosecution of a senior protocol officer in the Ministry of Power,
Works,and Housing Maikudi Haruna involved in the Forgery of documents meant for
the procurement of Nigerian Passport.
“He conspired by forging official
Identity Card and signature of the Minister of the Ministry of Power, Works and
Housing on a letter issued to one Abubakar Mustapha Bida to procure “Official
Passport” thereby collecting #250,000:00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira)
as proceed knowing fully well that the subject is not a government official.
“The Comptroller General of
Nigeria Immigration Service advise prospective applicants seeking Nigerian
passport to avoid false declarations, forgery and use of fake breeder
documents, but follow due process by paying online, applying online and desist
from patronising touts, noting that both the procurer and the applicant will be
prosecuted in accordance with the provision of the law related to Passport
Offences.”
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