Police operatives from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Abuja, on Monday stormed the National Teachers Institute (NTI) in Kaduna State, North Central Nigeria and quizzed some top officials of the School over a whopping N1.5Billion alleged fraud.
A top Police source who was among the team that invaded the school disclosed that already investigators have discovered a multi-million Naira fraud at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) Kaduna.
He added that this was coming just as a Kaduna High Court struck out an application filed by the NTI where it asked the court to stop the Nigerian Police from investigating the alleged fraud of N1.5 billion in the foremost teachers’ institute.
‘The NTI, according to reports in Kaduna last Wednesday, had filed an application praying the court for the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the institute, it’s Director General/Chief Executive Officer and seven other staff of the NTI.”
The report indicated that in August 2013, Barrister Usman Ndaliman instituted a case at a Chief Magistrate court against NTI and others staff of the institute,
Ndaliman in the suit, said among others, that on June 11th, 2012 the NTI had advertised in a national tender journal calling on contractors to bid for training manuals for primary and junior secondary schools in the federation, and the production of customized CD plates for participants.
“The court further heard that apart from the advertisement on the tender journals, any other process the award of the job was a scam and an insult to the Procurement Act, as no any due process was followed in the award of the job of the magnitude to the tune of over N1.5 billion only.
“Investigation had also shown that the Institute, has no procurement unit; this has not only breached the Procurement Act but has also provided a platform for corrupt practices by the institute with regards to public procurement.”
“On November 20,2013 Barrister I.O. Ezengwa reported a case of criminal conspiracy, forgery and theft to the office of Deputy Inspector-General of Police “D” department (FCID) Force Headquarters, Abuja against the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) management.
Following the report sent to the police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police on Kaduna, Mr.Hakeem Busari on December 27, 2013 wrote to the Director -General of the NTI, stating as follows “this office is investigating a case of criminal conspiracy ,forgery and theft reported on November 20 ,2013 to the Deputy Inspector General (Force CID)Force Headquarters, Abuja against you and some of your staff.”
Since then, the management of the institution has been playing hide and seek game with the Police, using the court. “It was last week Wednesday, when we heard that they have taken the Police to court, that we decided to re-open the case.”
Attempts to speak with the PRO of the NTI on the matter could not yield the desired result as he failed to respond to numerous telephone calls placed to his phone.
However the Police Public Relation Officer SP Aminu Lawal confirmed the incident and added that, “the Force Headquarters in Abuja is investigating a fraud case in the institute. The matter was reported via a petition by one Barrister Usman Ndaliman and that investigation is in progress.”
