The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed charges against two officials from the National Boundary Commission (NBC) for alleged forgery and abuse of office. Aishatu Abdullahi, the Director of Administration and Supplies, and Ghaji Rahila, the Assistant Chief Accountant, have been accused of conspiring to allow Rahila to participate in a senior staff promotion exercise at NBC while still employed by Galaxy Backbone Limited.

According to the ICPC, Rahila also forged a letter from Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda, to support her request for leave from NBC. The forged letter was supposedly addressed to her husband, Suleiman Mishara.

Both officials appeared before Justice Yusuf Halilu at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday. The charges claim that in 2021, Abdullahi and Rahila worked together to give Rahila an unfair advantage in the promotion exercise, despite her double employment.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The ICPC’s lawyer, Fatimah Bardi, requested a trial date, while the defense lawyers applied for bail. Justice Halilu granted bail, requiring the defendants to provide two sureties each, who must be civil servants at the director level in Abuja. These sureties must also ensure that the defendants appear in court as required. If the defendants fail to meet the bail conditions, they will be remanded in Suleja Prison until the next hearing on March 17, 2025.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat corruption in public offices and hold officials accountable for their actions.