Date: 2017-03-15

An official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been arrested in Kwara State for allegedly duping four people in an employment scam. The state NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Pedro Ideba, identified the official as Yusuf Kazeem.

He said the suspect was dismissed two months ago following investigations into petitions against him on the scam. Ideba, who addressed journalists in Ilorin, said Kazem's family had also made an undertaking to repay the money collected from his victims.

The commandant warned members of the public not to fall prey to any one giving out employment letters into the corps because, according to him, for now there is no employment into the NSCDC.

Kazeem was said to have collected about N400,000 from his victims with a promise to get them job in the security outfit.

Ideba said: "Two months ago, Yusuf Kazeem was arrested by us, queried, interrogated and a panel was set against him and following the outcome of the panel the officer was dismissed.

The officer in question was reported to the national headquarters who directed that he be dismissed and the people he had duped were profiled and as a responsible organisation we are making sure that he returns their money."

Ideba also disclosed that six of his staff, who recently engaged in sporadic shooting during a fracas with some phone vendors in Ilorin, had been detained to allow for more investigation.

The affected officials were said to have shot into the air to rescue their colleague who was allegedly about to be lynched by an angry mob at the popular Computer Village following an altercation between the NSCDC official and a phone vendor.

"On Wednesday, I got information that one of our staff left office on his own, without pass. He sneaked out of office and later had fracas with phone vendors.

We are aware the vendors are into union and they try to protect themselves but they failed to handle the situation amicably and the officer also failed to handle himself properly by first assaulting the vendor and that was what led to a mob action against him.

"That was what led to the Civil Defence Corps coming to rescue the man and in the process they were being stoned and that was when they fired to scare the people. The police also came and shot into the air when they heard the first shooting, thinking that it was an armed robbery incident but it was eventually put under control."