JOB RACKETEERING: FIRE SERVICE UNCOVERS FIVE FAKE ENROLLMENTS ON IPPIS
Read Time:3 Minute, 17 Second
The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has uncovered five cases of fraudulent enrollment onto the Federal Government’s salary platform, the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), by individuals without valid employment letters.
The Controller General of Fire (CGF), Engr. Abdulganiyu O. Jaji, disclosed this while addressing ongoing efforts by the Service to curb job racketeering. He issued a stern warning to desperate job seekers, urging them to steer clear of employment scams and to stop tarnishing the image of the Service.
Jaji expressed deep concern over the rising cases of job fraud involving unscrupulous agents who deceive applicants with fake appointment and invitation letters. Vanguard investigations revealed that, in recent weeks, hundreds of job seekers had presented fake appointment letters at FFS documentation centres, with some claiming to have paid between N1 million and N3 million to employment syndicates.
The CGF reiterated that the Service does not authorize third parties to conduct recruitment exercises and emphasized that all official processes are handled transparently through recognized government channels.
“Anyone caught presenting forged documents in a bid to secure employment will face immediate arrest and prosecution,” Jaji warned.
He lamented the damage such activities cause to the Service’s credibility and the emotional and financial distress inflicted on victims.
Jaji revealed that the Service, through its strict oversight, discovered five individuals who fraudulently inserted their names into the IPPIS system without valid documentation. These individuals were later invited for questioning and reportedly confessed to their involvement in underground dealings.
“We meticulously cross-checked the original master list against the final documented list and IPPIS entries. Upon discovering the fraud, we quietly suspended the documentation process to outwit the perpetrators, who went ahead to print even more fake letters,” he said.
Reaffirming the FFS’s commitment to integrity, Jaji urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. He assured that genuine employment opportunities would always be publicly announced through proper, verifiable channels.
Jaji referenced the recently concluded recruitment exercise overseen by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), noting that all successful candidates were required to check their status through the official portal — cdcfib.career — and download their invitation letters directly.
“Anyone claiming to have been invited for documentation but whose name does not appear on the official master list has undoubtedly fallen victim to fraudsters,” he said.
The CGF decried the persistence of fake websites, fraudulent recruitment forms, and syndicates demanding payments from unsuspecting applicants, despite repeated warnings that recruitment into the four paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior is entirely free.
He further revealed that even after the assumption of office by the new CDCFIB Secretary, individuals continued to present forged documents bearing the name of the former Secretary.
“It is truly disheartening that job seekers who willingly engage with fraudsters later turn around to petition the Service when things go wrong,” he said.
Jaji stressed that under his leadership, the Federal Fire Service is committed to maintaining its hard-earned integrity. He called on victims to submit the account details, names, and phone numbers of fraudsters to enable swift action.
He also clarified: “No credible government agency would issue invitation letters to successful candidates only to later cancel them. The Federal Fire Service has never and will never be involved in such misconduct.”
Going forward, Jaji announced that the Service will begin arresting and publicly parading individuals presenting fake invitation or appointment letters during documentation and screening exercises.
Finally, he appealed to Nigerian youths to remain patient and await legitimate opportunities through proper government channels:
“The Honourable Minister of Interior, a young man himself, is committed to ensuring that the efforts of our youths do not go to waste. Applicants must ignore suspicious links and unofficial websites and apply only through designated portals.”
He concluded with a stern warning: “No Federal Fire Service personnel should be patronized under any circumstance. Any candidate who does so will bear the consequences alone.”
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