47 applicants lose N51.8m to fake local govt jobs in Cross River

An investigative panel in Cross River State has found that 47 applicants lost over N51.8 million after allegedly paying people who promised to secure local government appointments for them.

The Chairperson of the Cross River State Local Government Service Commission, Nsa Ekpo, stated this on Monday while responding to questions from journalists in Calabar, Vanguard newspaper reported.

Mr Ekpo said the applicants paid between N100,000 and N1.5 million, believing the money would help secure appointments into the local government service.

“The panel found out that as many as 47 victims were cajoled, frightened and intimidated to part with over N51.8 million for fake local government jobs,” he said.

According to the newspaper, Mr Ekpo said applicants seeking senior positions were among those who allegedly paid the highest amounts, with some reportedly paying N1.3 million and N1.5 million.

Some victims, the newspaper reported, were also allegedly issued documents presented as employment letters, further convincing them that their appointments were genuine.

Panel uncovers recruitment irregularities

The panel chairperson said the investigation further uncovered alleged attempts to manipulate the recruitment process by inserting relatives and other individuals who did not meet the stipulated requirements.

He said the panel was constituted after members of the public complained about the 2024/2025 local government recruitment exercise.

The investigation, he said, relied substantially on information and evidence provided by whistleblowers.

“We had guaranteed all whistleblowers security and confidentiality if they came up with evidence,” he said.

The panel’s findings contributed to the cancellation of the recruitment exercise, which the state government had described as flawed and affected by alleged job racketeering and commercialisation.

The government subsequently approved a fresh recruitment exercise for 4,000 local government personnel and directed law enforcement agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the cancelled exercise and prosecute anyone found culpable.

821 candidates to be retained

Mr Ekpo said 821 candidates from the cancelled exercise had been cleared and would be retained, while other qualified applicants would have the opportunity to participate in the new recruitment exercise.

The new process, expected to begin within two weeks, will seek to fill 4,000 positions across the state’s local government service.

He assured prospective applicants the exercise would be transparent and not ‘commercialised’.

He said the final list of successful candidates, including the 821 retained candidates, will also be published.

READ ALSO: 47 applicants lose N51.8m to fake local govt jobs in Cross River

The recruitment controversy comes against the backdrop of concerns over the state’s local government workforce.

In July, PREMIUM TIMES reported that newly recruited local government workers protested in Calabar over 11 months of unpaid salaries, demanding inclusion on the state payroll. The workers said they had resumed duties despite not receiving salaries.

The state government subsequently said a panel had investigated the matter and that it was implementing its recommendations.

Mr Ekpo said the latest recruitment process was intended to correct the irregularities uncovered in the previous exercise and ensure that future appointments were based on merit and established requirements.