A former Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) desk officer at the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Haruna Kolo Monday admitted to collecting bribe to the tune of over N75 million from persons on the instruction of the FCC Chairman, Farida Dankaka.
Kolo disclosed this at the ongoing investigative hearing by the House of Representative ad-Hoc committee investigating federal ministries, departments and agencies, parastatals and tertiary institutions on mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS).
He also said that the FCC Chairperson instructed him to collect the money to his personal Eco bank account and pay her in cash, which he did at several meetings at her house.
Kolo explained that he resigned from FCC on the 2nd of November 2022 to begin work at Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
He further revealed that he still received salary from FCC on two occasions which he claimed he reported to the FCC Human Resource officer but was told it was not an issue and that it would be handled.
Kolo added that when the Chairperson came to Federal Character as the executive Chairman, she appointed him as a protocol officer.
His words: “On the allegations of job racketeering, the FCC Chairman instructed me to liaise with one Mr Shehu who is a personal driver and PA to the Taraba state commissioner. As a desk officer, I am responsible to take whoever is employed to IPPIS for capturing. No one can go there without a letter from the Chairman or Human Resource officer of FCC.
“When she came, she wrote a letter to the Accountant General instructing that no letter from FCC should be honored except she signs the letter. So whenever there was new employment, she signs, gives it to me and I take it to the Accountant General’s office for capturing.
“Shehu is the one that brought those who paid money to my account for job. Some paid N1 million others 1.5 million all to my personal account, my Eco bank account. She asked me to give cash to her which I did through POS so there is no evidence of transfer or anything.”
On the allegation of working at seven places, Kolo stressed that he was never at any time involved in seven jobs.
Kolo noted that the second allegation on his subsequent employment at AMCON, was a result of her personal favour to him
According to him, We were four in number, and she gave the appointment letter to myself Kadijah, and Olusola. We all proceeded for an interview at AMCON headquarters in Abuja after which we were called upon for training on the 16th January 2023, after the training, I and Olusola were called to Lagos. Unfortunately, Kadijah, who is the Chairman’s biological sister, was rejected. The Chairman accused me of being responsible for her rejection.
“I see no reason why the Chairperson will make allegations of such magnitude to my humble self. I have been threatened even at gunpoint and had to leave Abuja.
“Sir, I want this committee to know that after this sitting, if anything happens to me, the FCC chairperson should be held responsible, ” Kolo added.
Responding to the various submissions by Kolo and the Chairperson FCC, the chairman of the committee, Hon Yusuf Gagdi said the committee will leave no stone unturned to get the truth out for Nigerians to See.
He said: “Federal Character thank you for coming, Kolo appear here tomorrow. We are calling the other witnesses. We will allow you to do your work. Whosever that is found wanting will answer his father’s name, including Kolo Haruna.
“See Haruna Kolo, I am not saying anything will happen to you but by law you are not supposed to leave here without being arrested. For a civil servant that has thirty-something million in his account that admitted publicly that you are serving as a front to aid corruption. So I am quiet, I think and I don’t want to take you up on that because we don’t want to be seen to be sentimental. We want to as much possible protect you to get evidence against you and against others.
“God will save you and God will save us all. Nothing will happen to you because anybody that wants to harm you knows that if they harm you we have to suspect. So nothing is going to harm you. Thank you Federal Character. Nothing should happen to Kolo, that is our ruling.”