Court Remands NSCDC Official in Custody for Alleged Job ScamCourt Remands NSCDC Official in Custody for Alleged Job Scam A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mrs Tosin Olagunju, to the Suleja Correctional Centre pending her bail application hearing scheduled for October 9th. Olagunju was arraigned on Wednesday on four counts bordering on false pretense with intent to defraud job seekers, criminal conspiracy, and more. She is alleged to have obtained N12.4 million from job seekers under the false pretense of helping them secure employment with the NSCDC. The chargesheet, tagged FHC/ABJ/CR/183/2024, names the Inspector General (IG) of Police as the complainant, but Olagunju is the only suspect mentioned. Olagunju pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutor Princewill Eke requested a trial date, while Olagunju’s lawyer, MA Oloniruka, informed the court of a pending bail application. The judge dismissed the oral bail application request, emphasizing the need for formal written requests. Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the case until October 9th for trial and ordered Olagunju’s remand at the Suleja Correctional Centre. The first charge against Olagunju alleges that she obtained N12,400,000.00 between 2010 and 2023 under false pretenses of helping Nigerians secure employment with the NSCDC. This offense is punishable under section 1(1)(c) of the Advance Free Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006. (NAN) By Taiye Agbaje
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered that an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mrs Tosin Olagunju, be remanded in custody at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the hearing on her bail application, scheduled for October 9.
Justice Binta Nyako gave the order after Olagunju was arraigned on four counts bordering on false pretense with intent to defraud job seekers, criminal conspiracy and more.
She is alleged to have, among other things, obtained N12.4 million from job seekers under false pretenses, promising that she could help them get jobs at the NSCDC.
However, she pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Nigeria’s news agency NAN reports that the Inspector General (IG) of Police is the complainant but Olagunju is the only suspect in the chargesheet which is tagged as FHC/ABJ/CR/183/2024.
Shortly after she entered her plea, prosecutor Princewill Eke filed a request for a date for the trial to begin.
Olagunju’s lawyer, MA Oloniruka, told the court that he had filed an application for bail just before the commencement of the hearing.
When the judge told him that the request was not on the court file and therefore not ready for hearing, Oloniruka wanted to make an oral application for bail for his client.
Judge Nyako also rejected the defense lawyer’s request to file an oral application for bail.
The judge said that the court is a tribunal where all requests must be made formally and in writing.
“This case is adjourned until October 9 for trial. The suspect is to be detained at the Suleja Correctional Centre,” Justice Nyako stated.
In the first charge, it was alleged that sometime between 2010 and 2023, Olagunju, under false pretenses and with intent to defraud Nigerians, obtained the sum of N12,400,000.00. She pretended to be able to help them get employment with the NSCDC and thereby defrauded them.
The offence is punishable under section 1(1)(c) of the Advance Free Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, among other charges. (NAN)
By Taiye Agbaje
