Aishatu Abdullahi, the Director of Administration and Supplies at the National Boundary Commission, and the Assistant Chief Accountant, Ghaji Rahila, have been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), over allegations of forgery and abuse of office.
The ICPC accused the two officials of conspiring to allow Rahila to participate in a senior promotion exercise and secure confirmation to the rank of Chief Accountant (Level 14) at the National Boundary Commission while being simultaneously employed by Galaxy Backbone Limited.
A statement by ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare on Wednesday revealed that Rahila was also accused of forging an admission letter from Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda, purportedly addressed to her husband, Suleiman Mishara, to support her application for a leave of absence from the National Boundary Commission. The duo was arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The charge sheet stated, “That you, Ghaji Rahila (F), and Aishatu Abdullahi (F), sometime in 2021 or thereabout in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, as Assistant Chief Accountant and Director of Administration & Supplies of the National Boundary Commission respectively, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: conferring unfair advantage by allowing Ghaji Rahila to participate in the senior staff promotion exercise at the National Boundary Commission while Galaxy Backbone Limited simultaneously employed her. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)© and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. ICPC counsel Fatimah Bardi requested a date for the commencement of the trial, while defence lawyers Akinyemi Aremu and Adebayo Eniwaye applied for bail on behalf of their clients.
Justice Halilu granted the defendants bail on the condition that they provide two sureties each, who must be Abuja residents and civil servants of the rank of director in any federal parastatal. The sureties are required to present evidence of their first employment and last promotion, sign letters of undertaking to ensure the defendants’ continuous court appearances, and agree to imprisonment should they fail to produce the defendants in court.
The judge stated, “Such directors must sign letters of undertaking to produce the defendants in court throughout their trial and agree to be put in prison upon failure to produce the first and second defendants in court.” Additionally, the defendants were ordered to deposit their travel documents with the court registrar. If the bail conditions are not met, they will be remanded in Suleja Prison until the next hearing date, which is scheduled for March 17, 2025.
