Another JAMB official ‘steals’ N23 million, gives strange defence

A few days after the bizarre report that a snake ‘swallowed’
about N36 million from the Joint Admission and Matriculation
Board’s vault in Benue State, another state co-ordinator of the
board in Nassarawa state has come up with a rather strange story to
back an alleged fraud.

This time, JAMB staffer, Labaran Tanko, said his car got burnt
and in the process scratch cards worth N23 million were destroyed
in the inferno.

However, not impressed, as in the case of the Benue saga, the
board, reacting through its registrar, dismissed Mr. Tanko’s
claims.

Few days ago, a JAMB sales clerk, Philomina Chieshe, had told
JAMB registrar and his team who conducted fact-finding sessions on
alleged fraud at the Board, that she could not account for N36
million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch
cards by the organisation.

In the course of interrogation, Ms. Chieshe confessed that her
housemaid ”connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to
“spiritually” steal (through a snake) the money from the vault in
the accounts office.

In the case of Mr. Tanko, the board said after a thorough
investigation, it discovered that the cards which reportedly burnt
alongside Mr. Tanko’s car were used by students in Nassarawa state
to register.

It said this was easy to discover through simple checks done by
its officials.

Mr. Tanko, who made this confession at a session where suspects
of fraud and criminality were interrogated by top officials of the
board, including Registrar Ishaq Oloyede, however stood by his
claim.

“I thank God that I am alive today,” Mr Tanko told the panel. “I
had an accident on July 3rd 2016. I was not the one that packed the
cards because I was rushed to the hospital, and they came to pack
the burnt scratch cards to the office but it could not be counted.
I have the serial numbers of the cards.”

Until Mr. Oloyede’s took over as registrar, JAMB candidates
usually purchased scratch cards from JAMB state offices and other
designated centres to gain access to the board’s website for either
registration or to check their admission status.

However, new reforms introduced by Mr. Oloyede, when he assumed
office in 2016, ended the use of scratch cards, replacing it with a
more efficient and effective platforms.

The board also gave reasons why Mr. Tanko’s defence was
untenable.

“Every (member of ) staff who has scratch cards in their
possession must have the serial numbers. We found out that the
cards you claimed got burnt were used despite the police report you
presented to us and for JAMB, that is N23 million of government
money,” the registrar said during the session.

He also said the suspect, just like the lady indicted in Benue,
would be handed over to the police once the board concludes its
in-house investigations.

“Those that we want to transfer have been transferred to the
(board) headquarters until they account for the missing funds. But
those we believe are ‘beyond us’ will be handed to the police
immediately,” Mr Oloyede said.

In a separate reaction when our reporter approached the
spokesman of the board, Fabian Benjamin, he outlined steps taken by
the board on the matter.

“All the suspects have been suspended by the board. In Tanko’s
case, the committee has already written a report which the
management have sent to the (Education) ministry. Once it is
approved, it will be done,” Mr. Benjamin said.

He also said the board will monitor with careful scrutiny how
staff entrusted with sensitive responsibilities handle government
funds henceforth.

“The fight against corruption by the board was given a boost by
the recent visit by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crime Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu. Given the kind of
commendation by Magu and the confidence reposed in the management
of the Oloyede-led board, we would have no option than to continue
to do more,” Mr Benjamin said.

A few days after the bizarre report that a snake ‘swallowed’
about N36 million from the Joint Admission and Matriculation
Board’s vault in Benue State, another state co-ordinator of the
board in Nassarawa state has come up with a rather strange story to
back an alleged fraud.

This time, JAMB staffer, Labaran Tanko, said his car got burnt
and in the process scratch cards worth N23 million were destroyed
in the inferno.

However, not impressed, as in the case of the Benue saga, the
board, reacting through its registrar, dismissed Mr. Tanko’s
claims.

Few days ago, a JAMB sales clerk, Philomina Chieshe, had told
JAMB registrar and his team who conducted fact-finding sessions on
alleged fraud at the Board, that she could not account for N36
million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch
cards by the organisation.

In the course of interrogation, Ms. Chieshe confessed that her
housemaid ”connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to
“spiritually” steal (through a snake) the money from the vault in
the accounts office.

In the case of Mr. Tanko, the board said after a thorough
investigation, it discovered that the cards which reportedly burnt
alongside Mr. Tanko’s car were used by students in Nassarawa state
to register.

It said this was easy to discover through simple checks done by
its officials.

Mr. Tanko, who made this confession at a session where suspects
of fraud and criminality were interrogated by top officials of the
board, including Registrar Ishaq Oloyede, however stood by his
claim.

“I thank God that I am alive today,” Mr Tanko told the panel. “I
had an accident on July 3rd 2016. I was not the one that packed the
cards because I was rushed to the hospital, and they came to pack
the burnt scratch cards to the office but it could not be counted.
I have the serial numbers of the cards.”

Until Mr. Oloyede’s took over as registrar, JAMB candidates
usually purchased scratch cards from JAMB state offices and other
designated centres to gain access to the board’s website for either
registration or to check their admission status.

However, new reforms introduced by Mr. Oloyede, when he assumed
office in 2016, ended the use of scratch cards, replacing it with a
more efficient and effective platforms.

The board also gave reasons why Mr. Tanko’s defence was
untenable.

“Every (member of ) staff who has scratch cards in their
possession must have the serial numbers. We found out that the
cards you claimed got burnt were used despite the police report you
presented to us and for JAMB, that is N23 million of government
money,” the registrar said during the session.

He also said the suspect, just like the lady indicted in Benue,
would be handed over to the police once the board concludes its
in-house investigations.

“Those that we want to transfer have been transferred to the
(board) headquarters until they account for the missing funds. But
those we believe are ‘beyond us’ will be handed to the police
immediately,” Mr Oloyede said.

In a separate reaction when our reporter approached the
spokesman of the board, Fabian Benjamin, he outlined steps taken by
the board on the matter.

“All the suspects have been suspended by the board. In Tanko’s
case, the committee has already written a report which the
management have sent to the (Education) ministry. Once it is
approved, it will be done,” Mr. Benjamin said.

He also said the board will monitor with careful scrutiny how
staff entrusted with sensitive responsibilities handle government
funds henceforth.

“The fight against corruption by the board was given a boost by
the recent visit by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crime Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu. Given the kind of
commendation by Magu and the confidence reposed in the management
of the Oloyede-led board, we would have no option than to continue
to do more,” Mr Benjamin said.