The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has taken firm steps in its ongoing investigation into the teacher employment racketeering scandal involving the state’s Teachers Service Commission (TSC). On Monday, the House directed the State Commissioner for Education and heads of security agencies to present their personnel implicated in the illegal sale of teachers’ appointment letters.
The directive followed testimonies from several victims who appeared before the Ad-hoc Committee probing the scandal in Lafia. The committee, chaired by Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi, is continuing to uncover startling revelations about the massive employment fraud that rocked the state’s education sector.
“We invited you to tell us what you know, tell us who gave you the appointments and how much you paid to get the job,” Hon. Ogazi told the victims during the hearing.
“Be sincere as you are speaking on oath. We want to assure you that justice will be served at the end of the day.”
The lawmaker, visibly concerned about the scale of the fraud, assured the affected applicants that the committee is committed to ensuring justice and the recovery of all money lost to the fraudulent job sales. He specifically directed that Mohammed Abubakar Gada, the former Chairman of the TSC, must reappear before the committee on Wednesday at 10am.
“As some victims have said that they have made payment into his bank account with evidence of payments, we expect him to come and clear his name,” Ogazi said.
Also summoned to appear on Wednesday are staff of the Ministry of Education, including Michael Jonyi of the Area Inspectorate in Doma, and all others mentioned in the testimonies. The Assembly is also writing to the Commissioner of Police and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Lafia to present their officers fingered in the scandal.
“We will ensure justice is done on the issue,” Ogazi added. “We sympathize with all of you. Only God knows where some of you got the money to buy employment.”
The committee reassured the victims of the House’s full support. It said the Assembly will not allow the injustice to go unpunished and expressed its readiness to recover the applicants’ funds.
One of the most shocking revelations came from Mr. Yamush Amos, an Evaluation Officer with the Ministry of Education in Lafia. During the hearing, he admitted to acting as an agent for the former TSC Chairman and confessed that he sold appointment letters to desperate job seekers. Amos backed his testimony by tendering bank tellers and transaction details as evidence.
Another victim, Adigizi Abaya, narrated how he paid a total of N14 million — in cash and via transfers — to the former TSC Chairman and his Personal Assistant for 28 employment slots. He stated he had not received any appointment letters to date.
“I paid N14 million both cash and transfer for about 28 applicants to the former TSC Chairman and his PA,” Abaya said. “Up till this moment, I am yet to receive the appointment letters and when I complained, they said I should be patient that the appointment letters will reach me.”
Several affected individuals, including Sanke Priscilla and Ibrahim Abdulkadir, revealed that they paid between N500,000 and N1.7 million each for teaching jobs through agents linked to the TSC. They pleaded with the House to help recover their money.
According to testimony presented to the committee, many of the intermediaries in the job sale scheme were not just civilians but staff members of the Teachers Service Commission, the State Ministry of Education, and even security agencies. One group of just three affected teachers said they collectively paid over N4 million to these agents for fake appointment letters.
In one dramatic moment, a victim named Priscilla Sanke presented an audio recording of her conversation with the former TSC Chairman. In the audio, she discussed the payment of N800,000 in exchange for a teaching appointment. The audio was admitted into evidence by the committee.
Also present at the hearing were physically challenged teachers who had previously been disengaged by the state government. The committee noted that these individuals were removed from service without undergoing any formal screening, contrary to public service rules. The House assured them that their case would also be reviewed.
Hon. Ogazi noted that all those mentioned — from ministry officials to members of the security agencies — must appear before the committee on Wednesday to clarify their involvement and help the committee reach a fair conclusion.
The House committee has remained firm in its resolve to unravel the truth, vowing to hold every culprit accountable. It is also working to recover all funds lost through the fraudulent sale of employment letters — a move seen as a significant step toward restoring public trust in the education system.
The job scam, which has left dozens of aspiring teachers financially drained and emotionally distressed, continues to expose deep-rooted corruption within the recruitment process in the state’s civil service.
With the next hearing set for Wednesday, attention across the state has turned to the Assembly as it presses for accountability. The ongoing revelations have raised serious concerns about employment fraud, government transparency, and the role of public institutions in upholding ethical standards.
The case has also attracted public interest on digital platforms, where keywords such as job racketeering in Nigeria, Nasarawa TSC employment fraud, teacher recruitment scandal, and government employment scam recovery are trending among online readers seeking updates on the story.
All eyes are now on the reappearance of the former TSC Chairman, along with the implicated officials from the Ministry of Education, NSCDC, Police Command, and other public institutions. The victims, and indeed the public, await justice and the possible recovery of millions lost in what is becoming one of the most widely reported employment scams in Nasarawa State.
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