By George Odok
The internal security operatives of the University of Calabar has arrested one Godswill Johnson for alleged fake employment racketeering in the University.
The Acting Chief Security Officer of the University, retired SP Usani Okon-Etim, presented the suspect before the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Florence Obi, on Wednesday in Calabar.
Okon-Etim informed the VC that the suspect collected N400,000 from one retired Assistant Commissioner of Police on the pretence of making him the Chief Security Officer of UNICAL.
“He collected the first installment of N400,000 from one retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and then collected another N350,000 from another person and he offered her a fake employment letter.
“The person saw the employment letter and noticed that it is at variance with other employment letters that people have collected, so she knew it was fake.
“They now traced the fake syndicate to the University and reported the matter to us; we mounted surveillance and we were able to pick him up. We recovered the fake appointment letter.
“The suspect has been on this business for years now and he has duped many persons, using a fake signature of the Registrar of the University on the fake employment letters.”
Reacting, the VC expressed dissatisfaction that many people have been using the Vice-Chancellor’s name to swindle members of the public under the guise of giving them employment.
The VC advised Nigerians to stop dealing with people who demand money from them for employment.
She said that the University was not carrying out any employment or awarding contracts on social media.
She vowed that the suspect would be prosecuted and made to face the consequences of the crime committed.
According to her, other individuals who have been using the name of the Vice Chancellor to scam members of the public would also be apprehended and prosecuted.
“We are going to court, and we are going to make sure that the law takes its course. We are not going to allow justice to be circumvented, we are going all out to ensure that justice is served with a view to serve as a deterrent to others.
“The University of Calabar will not carry out employment on social media; if we are going to employ, the vacancies will be advertised on national dailies for Nigerians to apply.
“The University is not going to tolerate any act of fake employment racketeering from any individual that is caught,” she said.
The VC handed over the suspect to the Department of State Services for onward investigation and prosecution.
The suspect, who accepted collecting monies from the victims, appealed to the VC to forgive him.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a committee was set up by the VC on March 8 to investigate the 2019/2020 employment in the institution.
NAN also reports that the inauguration of the committee followed the Police detection of 31 fake employment letters issued to some persons. (NAN)
