ICPC Secures Conviction of Ex-NECO Staff for Certificate Forgery
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has obtained the conviction of a former staff member of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Abdulwahab Sule, on charges of certificate forgery and related corrupt practices.
Delivering judgment in Charge No: NSHC/ICPC/1C/2023, the High Court of Niger State sitting in Minna, presided over by Honourable Justice Abdullahi Mikailu, found Sule guilty on a three-count charge of: dishonestly using a forged document as genuine, unlawful possession of a forged document, and making false statements.
Investigations revealed that Sule fraudulently presented a forged Diploma certificate purportedly issued by the Federal University of Technology, Yola (now Modibbo Adama University, Yola) to secure employment with NECO in 2009. He remained in service until his dismissal in September 2020, following verification that the certificate did not emanate from the institution.
The ICPC further established that Sule had not completed his studies and still had outstanding courses at the time he claimed to have graduated. He also admitted during investigation that he procured the forged certificate for ₦30,000.
Upon conviction, the Court sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment on Count One, 10 years on Count Two, and 2 years on Count Three, with the sentences to run concurrently—effectively amounting to 12 years in prison.
The ICPC reaffirmed its commitment to sanitising public institutions and warned that individuals engaged in forgery, falsification of records, and other corrupt practices will face justice. The Commission also urged organisations to strengthen credential verification processes to safeguard institutional integrity.
