Exclusive: How Kwara governor’s special adviser, Mashood Alaka, defrauded jobseeker, collected money for fake employment

Abdullahi Funsho*, a resident of Ilorin, has detailed how Moshood Alaka, the Special Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Party Affairs, defrauded him of N300,000 after promising to help him secure a job.

Funsho told The Informant247 that in 2022, he met Alaka through a friend who informed him of vacant positions at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) and claimed that Alaka could help him secure employment there.

Before then, Funsho had only heard of Alaka as a prominent politician from Moro Local Government Area of the state, thus he never suspected any foul play.

“I used to work in a private hospital in Ilorin before I was introduced to Alaka, who demanded N300,000 for a job at UITH. He assured me that others had already made payments. I paid him the money on November 16, 2022,” he said.

But over two and a half years after entrusting his funds with Alaka, Funsho has neither received the promised job nor a refund.

“I became worried when I saw some of my colleagues getting jobs at UITH, but I never received my employment letter,” he told The Informant247, expressing fear that something had gone wrong. “I asked him what the problem was, but he kept assuring me to be patient.”

I took loan to pay him

After several months, Funsho was forced to demand a refund, giving up on the job offer and deciding to pursue his career elsewhere.

“He then stopped picking my calls after I demanded that he repay my money. I messaged him on WhatsApp, and he responded that he would pay me when he received his salary. But he never did, till date,” he said.

“I took a loan to pay for the job, hoping I would repay it once I started earning. Now, I am in debt and have to borrow money from my colleagues for daily survival,” Funsho lamented in a telephone conversation with The Informant247.

His slot was sold to another candidate – Alaka

When contacted for comment, the Special Adviser to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq on Party Affairs, Hon. Moshood Alaka, confirmed receiving the money from Funsho. However, he stated that the slot initially secured for him was sold to another person.

“There were no slots available for the course he studied in primary healthcare. I asked if he had an interest in any of the 153 state PHCs, but he said no, insisting on getting a refund. He mentioned that he had already secured another job in Lagos,” Alaka told The Informant247.

He further added that Funsho was offered the position of administrative officer, but the person in charge refused to issue a refund after the job procurement failed.

Alaka promised to refund the money, but when The Informant247 asked when this would happen, he failed to provide a specific date.

What the law says

In Nigeria, Section 1(3) of Advance Free Fraud and other related offences Act, 2006 make it illegal to pay for a job.

The section states: 1. Obtaining property by false pretence, etc.

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other enactment or law, any person who by any false pretence, and with intent to defraud-

(a) obtains, from any other person, in Nigeria or in any other country, for himself or any other person; or

(b) induces any other person, in Nigeria or in any other country, to deliver to any person, any property, whether or not the property is obtained or its delivery is induced through the medium of a contract induced by the false pretence, commits an offence under this Act.

(2) A person who by false pretence, and with the intent to defraud, induces any other person, in Nigeria or in any other country, to confer a benefit on him or on any other person by doing or permitting a thing to be done on the understanding that the benefit has been or will be paid for commits an offence under this Act.

(3) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (2) of this section is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 20 years and not less than 7 years without the option of a fine.

In addition, Section 8 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and section 112 of the Penal Code Act prohibit bribery and corruption in all forms, including demanding or receiving gratification for providing employment or assisting in securing employment.

*Name changed to protect the victim’s privacy