EXCLUSIVE: Convicted Niger State Civil Servant Reinstated Two Weeks After Bagging 7-Year Jail Term For Bribery, Paid Full Salary ‘In Prison’

An exclusive probe by SaharaReporters has uncovered however a elder civilian servant convicted for corruption successful Niger State was mysteriously released from situation conscionable 2 weeks aft his sentencing, reinstated into the authorities civilian service, and continued receiving afloat wage passim the expected duration of his imprisonment.

Mr Umar Farouk, a Deputy Director successful the Niger State Ministry of Land Transportation, was convicted and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment by the Niger State High Court successful Minna for demanding and receiving N11 cardinal successful bribes from a contractor.

The judgement was delivered aft a protracted ineligible conflict initiated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

However, aggregate sources successful the authorities civilian work and ministries revealed to SaharaReporters that Farouk was discreetly released hardly 2 weeks aft being remanded successful situation and has since returned to authorities enactment with afloat privileges.

“I Was Shocked He Was Out So Soon”

The contractor who filed the archetypal petition against Farouk, starring to his conviction, expressed his daze and disappointment successful an interrogation with SaharaReporters.

“How the lawsuit came up was that erstwhile I wanted to cod a declaration from them, helium demanded a bribe. When helium was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment, I was relieved. But conscionable 2 weeks later, I discovered helium was retired of prison,” the contractor told SaharaReporters.

“When helium was released aft 2 weeks, the radical acrophobic protested. They were sad; wherefore would idiosyncratic spell to situation and beryllium released wrong 2 weeks and adjacent reinstated into the civilian service? 

“The protestation led to his suspension, but aft that, thing other happened. He is backmost moving present similar thing happened. I was the 1 who filed the petition that led to his conviction. I’m shocked the authorities did not fto him service his sentence,” the contractor said.

How He Was Smuggled Into Mass Pardon

A root wrong the Niger State civilian work revealed that Farouk’s sanction was added to a database of 104 inmates who the contiguous past medication of Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello granted pardon.

But dissimilar the others, his inclusion was allegedly a deliberate manipulation.

“Because they wanted to escaped him, they had to escaped 104 inmates alongside him. His sanction was smuggled into the document,” the root said. “This was orchestrated by a erstwhile Commissioner of Justice. The politician astatine the clip was not adjacent aware.”

Another root successful the authorities transport ministry said: “During his clip successful prison, the authorities did not halt his salaries. He was being paid. Now helium is backmost connected the payroll arsenic if thing ever happened.”

Findings by SaharaReporters revealed that Abubakar Sani Bello, hardly 1 week to the extremity of his tenure successful 2023, pardoned 24 convicts, immoderate of whom had already been sentenced to death. He besides paid N20 cardinal successful fines for 80 different inmates to unafraid their release.

This was orchestrated by his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasara Danmallam, a adjacent state of Mr Umar Farouk.

Secret Deal Between Convict and Justice Ministry

Civil work insiders alleged that Farouk’s merchandise was the effect of a shady woody betwixt him and the erstwhile Commissioner of Justice, Nasara Danmallam.

“This was done betwixt a erstwhile commissioner and Umar Farouk. They utilized to bash these soiled deals together. That’s wherefore they didn’t fto him endure successful prison,” a root said.

When contacted by SaharaReporters, Farouk confirmed that helium had returned to his civilian work post. But helium denied being illegally released from prison.

“I was not smuggled retired of the prison, I was retired of the situation by a process, not illegally.”

He declined to springiness further details erstwhile pressed to clarify the ineligible process that led to his aboriginal release.

“Go and conscionable my superior, the State Head of Service. You cognize I americium nether someone,” helium added.

Commissioner Confirms Reinstatement, Cites Past Government’s Action

SaharaReporters besides reached retired to Hadiza Idris Kuta, the existent Commissioner for Transport successful Niger State. She confirmed the reinstatement and acknowledged investigating the contented upon assuming office.

“I besides investigated the matter. I was told the antheral was retired of situation due to the fact that helium was pardoned. That was done by the past government,” she said. “I cognize helium is reinstated into the civilian work but helium is nary longer successful my ministry.”

When asked astir his existent relation successful the civilian service, the commissioner refused to disclose his position.

Background of the Case

Farouk’s condemnation marked the decision of a protracted corruption proceedings launched by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

He was initially arraigned successful July 2020 earlier Justice Abdullahi Mikail of the Niger State High Court connected a seven-count complaint involving gratification and maltreatment of office.

According to a connection from the ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, Farouk demanded and received N11 cardinal from a contractor successful speech for awarding a authorities contract. He pleaded not guilty, mounting the signifier for a proceedings that yet led to his conviction.

The judgement obtained by SaharaReporters work successful part: “The accused idiosyncratic is lasting proceedings connected a 7-count complaint for the offences of gratification by an authoritative and utilizing bureau oregon presumption for gratification contrary to Sections 8(1)(a)(ii) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000... 

“I find the accused idiosyncratic blameworthy arsenic charged connected each counts... Accordingly, the convict is sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years for each of the offences successful counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.”

Despite this wide conviction, Farouk's instrumentality to nationalist bureau has raised superior questions astir the credibility of justness successful the authorities and the integrity of nationalist institutions.