Rahma Ahmed
By Ahmed Rahma
The former Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Dibu Ojerinde, has been arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged N900 million fraud.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the spokesperson of the agency, Ms Azuka Ogugua, disclosed that Mr Ojerinde was apprehended on March 15, 2021, in Abuja.
It was alleged that the former head of the examination board committed multiple frauds while heading JAMB and the National Examination Council (NECO).
Mr Ojerinde was appointed Registrar of NECO in 1999 and he held the position for 8 years before his appointment as Registrar of JAMB for 5 years from the year 2007.
In the statement, it was disclosed the former JAMB chief is currently being held on a remand warrant and will soon be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
“He has been detained by the commission for questioning over allegations of multiple identities, abuse of office, money laundering, tax evasion, and making false statements to public officials.
“The former JAMB boss is also being questioned by the Commission for allegedly awarding fraudulent contracts to shell companies which cannot be traced,” a part of the statement read.
Mr Ojerinde was also alleged to have awarded contracts for the supply of pencil and eraser at the cost of N450 million each, to Double 07 Concept Limited and Pristine Global Concept Limited, respectively, between 2013 and 2014 while heading JAMB.
“There is no evidence to show that the items which are examination materials were supplied as the contractors cannot be found.
“Similar contracts were allegedly awarded to Solid Figures Limited, Holywalk Limited, and other companies for various sums without any trace of executions,” Ms Ogugua said in the statement.
