Buhari fires Akabogu as managing director of the Nigerian agency NSITF, due to an alleged scandal involving NYSC certificates
In a 2022 complaint to the police, a whistleblower claimed that the fired NSITF boss was flaunting a fake NYSC Discharge Certificate with the number: A030544.
Michael Akabogu, the managing director and chief executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has been fired by local Muhammadu Buhari.
According to individuals, he was fired due to his suspected falsification of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge Certificate.
“I am compelled to inform you that Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the removal from office of Dr. Michael Akabogu as the Managing Director/CE of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) with effect from Friday, 3rd February 2023. This was done in the exercise of his powers under Section 8 of the NSITF Act.
“Therefore, it has been ordered that the Executive Director Administration of the Fund, Barr. (Mrs.) Maureen Allagoa, take control of the Fund’s affairs.
An internal memo from Gabriel Iwelunmor, the agency’s executive director of operations, read: “Furthermore, this information should be shared to the staff of your various Departments/Units, Regions and Branches.”
A whistleblower had reported the fired NSITF leader to the police in 2022, claiming that he was parading a fake NYSC Discharge Certificate with the number: A030544.
As soon as the NYSC authority denied issuing the counterfeit NYSC release certificate, the police invited Akabogu to be questioned.
He had asserted that he had been mobilized for the required one-year service pursuant to NO. OG/ FUTO/ 91/23402 for the initial batch, from the 4th of October 1991 to the 3rd of October, 1992.
The first batch of 1991 corps members were mobilized on the 16th of September, 1991, and discharged/passed out on the 15th of September, 1992, contrary to Akabogu’s claims that he was mobilized for the first batch from the 4th of October, 1991, to the 3rd of October, 1992, according to investigation. Akabogu’s discharge NYSC certificate bearing number A030544 was also allegedly forged, and the first batch of corps members from.
It should be recalled that in August 2022, the Senate Public Account Committee (SPAC) conducted an investigation into the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), looking into the audit queries raised against NSITF in the 2018 report of the Auditor General for the Federation (AUGF), to explain the spending of N17.158 billion in 2013. NSTIF was unable to provide the necessary documentation, claiming that some vouchers had been eaten up by termites and this scandal.
The sacked MD fraudulently obtained a director level appointment at NSITF about six years ago, according to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. In 2021, the MD was appointed the agency’s substantive managing director/chief executive officer using an allegedly fake NYSC discharge certificate with the certificate number A030544.
“It has been established that this dishonest public employee is a pathological liar. Some of us are eager to testify under oath in front of the dishonest Managing Director in court. There are worries that the Honorable Minister, who was given bad advice by the fraudster and his friends, recommended the fraudster to Mr. President for the job of Managing Director of NSITF, which he was not initially prepared to occupy.
Therefore, we are requesting that the Honourable Minister and the law enforcement authorities act quickly to protect the agency from Akabogu, the imposter, and the problems that it foresees. The managing director must take the necessary action, resign honorably like former finance minister Kemi Adeosun did, and return all funds received as salaries from government coffers, wages, and allowances.
