ABUJA – June 7, 2025 | Newspot Nigeria
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former staff member of the Court of Appeal, Munirat Abdulazeez, for allegedly defrauding job seekers of ₦9.2 million through a fraudulent employment scheme.
Arraigned before Justice Godwin Iheabunke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Bwari, the accused was charged with obtaining money under false pretenses by promising non-existent job placements at top federal agencies including the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
According to the ICPC, the defendant, who worked with the Court of Appeal between 2018 and 2023 before being dismissed, allegedly collected the funds from eight job seekers between September 2022 and July 2023. The Commission said the act violated Section 1(1)(a) and is punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.
Justice Iheabunke had earlier issued a bench warrant for Abdulazeez’s arrest after she failed to appear in court on a previous date. She was brought to court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge read to her.
ICPC’s counsel, Mr. Hamza Sani, informed the court of a pending hearing date on June 13, 2025, but both prosecution and defense later agreed to shift the proceedings to June 20, 2025, to allow time for the prosecution to present all witnesses.
In a bail ruling, Justice Iheabunke granted the defendant bail in the sum of ₦10 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and submit original title documents to the court registrar. Abdulazeez is also required to formally notify the court before any travel.
The ICPC reiterated its commitment to clamping down on employment racketeering and abuse of office within public institutions.
Full statement from the ICPC below:
INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC)
PRESS RELEASE
Saturday, 7th June 2025
ICPC Docks Former Court of Appeal Staff for Job Racketeering
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former Court of Appeal staff, Munirat Abdulazeez, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Bwari, over her alleged involvement in a job racketeering scam.
The defendant was brought before Justice Godwin Iheabunke, who had last Wednesday ordered her arrest after she failed to appear in court to take her plea in the suit filed against her by the ICPC.
According to the ICPC, the defendant was arraigned for involvement in a job racketeering scam, where she promised her victims nonexistent jobs with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The Commission’s investigation also showed that Mrs. Abdulazeez, who worked with the Court of Appeal from 2018 to 2023 when she was sacked due to her involvement in this racketeering and auction fraud, sometimes in September 2022 to July 2023, obtained by false pretense the total sum of ₦9,200,000 (Nine Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira) from eight unsuspecting job seekers—an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.
One of the counts reads:
“That you MUNIRAT ABDULAZEEZ (AKA JUMMAI) (F) sometimes between September to December, 2022 and the month of January to July, 2023 or thereabout at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a staff with the Court of Appeal Nigeria, Abuja division with intent to defraud did obtain by false pretence the sum of ₦9,200,000 (Nine Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only from Musa Mohammed Maude and his other friends including Sule Sadanu, Haruna Idris Lokos, Yusuf Musa, Mahmud Jibrin, Adama Mohammed Maude, Shuaibu Musa, Ahmed Sunusi and Aliyu Ahmed which sum was paid into your Access Bank account with account number 1496346113 under the guise of securing employment for them in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.”
The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty when the two-count charge was read to her.
In light of the ‘not guilty’ plea entered by the defendant, counsel to the ICPC, Mr. Hamza Sani, applied to the court to maintain a subsisting date of 13th June, 2025, to allow the prosecution to present its witnesses on the said date.
A bail application moved on behalf of the defendant was also not opposed by the ICPC, which indicated the Commission’s readiness to proceed with the hearing.
Justice Iheabunke granted the defendant a ten-million-naira bail with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, according to the judge, “must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and must deposit the title documents with the court Registrar, and the same must be confirmed by the registrar. The Defendant must write to the court formally in any event she wants to travel.”
The matter was thereafter adjourned to 20th June, 2025, for the prosecution to assemble all its witnesses. The court also vacated the earlier fixed date as agreed between the counsel.
Signed
Demola Bakare, fsi
Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/
Spokesperson for the Commission
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