NSCDC Fires Back At Blackmailers , Parades ‘Fake NYSC Member’ Over N1.3m Scholarship Scam

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the Federal Capital Territory has dismissed allegations of bribery and unlawful detention published by an online medium, describing the reports as false, malicious and aimed at discrediting the security agency, while parading a suspect accused of impersonating a corps member and defrauding parents through a scholarship scam.

Speaking while parading the suspect before journalists in Abuja, the FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, said the command was compelled to respond publicly to what he called “a series of misleading and sponsored publications” accusing the agency of detaining a corps member and a 69-year-old man unlawfully and demanding illegal “Commandant’s fees” for their release.

Odumosu insisted that the allegations were baseless and were deliberately orchestrated to derail ongoing investigations and damage the reputation of the Corps.

According to him, the individual portrayed as a detained corps member in the report is not a legitimate National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) member but an impostor who allegedly forged NYSC documents to gain placement at the International Model Science Academy in Kwali, a subsidiary of the National Mathematical Centre.

The suspect, identified as Joseph Nanmwa Philips, 27, from Plateau State, was arrested by the command’s Kwali Division following complaints bordering on forgery, impersonation and cyber-related offences.

Odumosu revealed that investigators from th Corps intelligence unit discovered that Philips allegedly cloned several email addresses linked to Cambridge University and used them to deceive parents into believing their children had access to an international scholarship scheme.

He said the suspect allegedly collected money from unsuspecting parents under the guise of registering their children for a Cambridge University scholarship programme, hiring extra lesson teachers to prepare them for examinations and purchasing recommended study materials.

However, he remained in custody after failing to meet bail conditions due to the absence of a credible surety, prompting the command to obtain a remand order from a Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2 pending the conclusion of investigations.

The Commandant said the widely circulated claim that the command demanded ₦1.4 million for the suspect’s release was false, explaining that the amount referenced in the report represented money the suspect allegedly collected from parents and was expected to refund, not a fee demanded by the Corps.

According to him, “Phillip instructed affected parents not to inform the school authorities about the supposed scholarship process , a move investigators later described as part of the elaborate fraud.

The command said preliminary investigations revealed that about ₦1.3 million was collected from several parents by the suspect.

“Recovered items allegedly linked to the suspect include an NYSC uniform, a forged NYSC call-up letter, documents detailing financial transactions with parents, as well as a bag containing personal effects and suspected hard drugs.

Odumosu explained that after his arrest, the suspect was transferred to the FCT Command headquarters where he was interrogated in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and granted bail on the same day.

He further dismissed allegations that suspects in the command’s custody were denied food, stating that detainees are fed in compliance with legal provisions requiring suspects to be provided meals while in custody.

Odumosu alleged that the source of the claims was Mr. Chimezie Otuojo, a suspect currently under investigation over a separate petition involving alleged threat to life and assault reported by his neighbour.

According to the Commandant, Otuojo had shared detention space with the alleged impostor and subsequently attempted to discredit the Corps through what he described as “cheap blackmail and misinformation.”

The NSCDC also addressed another report alleging that the command detained a 69-year-old man for 89 days and demanded a ₦10 million “Commandant’s fee” for his release.

Odumosu described the claim as another distortion of facts, explaining that the elderly suspect was being investigated following a petition by TroBell Minerals Limited over allegations of criminal breach of trust and obtaining money under false pretence involving ₦217 million.

He said the suspect was lawfully detained based on a valid remand order and has since been charged before the Federal High Court, insisting that claims of illegal bail payments or extortion were completely unfounded.

The Commandant warned that the command reserves the right to pursue legal action against individuals or media platforms that publish unverified allegations capable of undermining national security institutions.

He urged media organisations to uphold professional standards of fairness and verification when reporting security matters.

Odumosu also advised government institutions and private organisations to strengthen verification processes when accepting individuals for the mandatory NYSC primary assignment.

“If someone could successfully gain placement with forged NYSC documents and operate for almost a year without detection, it shows that many criminals could still be moving freely within the system,” he said.

He reassured residents of the Federal Capital Territory of its commitment to protecting lives, maintaining public order and safeguarding critical national assets, insisting it would not be distracted by attempts to malign its reputation.

Fielding questions from our Correspondent with the allegations levelled against him, Philips admitted forging his call-up letter, even as the NYSC had also written the command to disclaim him.

The suspect also said he signed his monthly clearance in Lugbe within the Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC, despite teaching in a school domiciled in Kwali Area Council.