Man posing as NYSC member to defraud parents, students arrested in Abuja

By Kelechi Ogunleye

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), FCT Command, has arrested a 27-year-old man suspect who posed as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member to defraud parents and students.

The suspect, name withheld, posed as a corps member to work at the International Model Science Academy, a subsidiary of the National Mathematical Centre in Kwali Area Council of the territory.

Mr Olusola Odumosu, the FCT Commandant of the corps disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

Odumosu debunked an online media report alleging that the command was illegally detaining the suspect and requesting for huge sums of money.

He described the report as false, misleading and an unfounded allegation against the command and its leadership.

He explained that contrary to reports that the suspect was detained for 65 days without trial, the corps obtained a court remand order after the suspect was unable to meet his bail conditions.

The commandant revealed that the suspect, presented a forged NYSC call-up letter to gain employment at his place of primary assignment.

He said that there was, however, a letter of disclaimer from the NYSC, disclaiming the suspect as a corps member.

“The suspect collects money from parents for the registration of their kids for Cambridge University scholarship.

“Investigations also revealed that he cloned several Cambridge university email addresses through which he sends fabricated emails of confirmation of registration to unsuspecting parents.

“He also collected money from parents claiming he would secure the services of extra lesson teachers for their wards to help them pass the scholarship exam,” he said.

The FCT corps commandant further said that investigations also revealed that he also collected money from some parents for the purchase of books to study for their children to study for the scholarship exam.

He said that exhibits recovered from the suspect include NYSC uniform, forged NYSC call-up Letter, documents depicting financial transactions by parents to him and a bag containing hard drugs.

He explained that contrary to the false report on the alleged demand for money by the command for his release, the published sum was the amount of money fraudulently collected from some parents which the suspect was meant to refund to them.

“Reports from parents duped by the suspect, revealed that the sum of N1.3 million had been fraudulently collected from different parents.

“This is what the perpetrators of the false publication have decided to weaponise against the command.

“We are a credible institution with zero tolerance for corruption, and no amount of money is charged for bail under any guise,” he emphasised.

He added that evidence before the corps would be presented before a court of law for further prosecution.

In another development, the commandant, debunked a publication that surfaced on Wednesday; alleging that the command detained a 69 year old man for 89 days and demanded a `Commandant’s fee‘of N10 million for his release.

“The command wishes to state categorically that the report is also false, misleading, and a gross misrepresentation of the facts surrounding the case.

“The public is therefore advised to disregard the said publication in its entirety and rely only on verified information from official channels of the corps,” he said.

Odumosu reiterated that the corps remained committed, focused, resolute and unwavering in its service to the nation.

He advised employers to take precautionary measures such as verifying call-up-letters before admitting corps members. (NAN)