…….Job racketeering in federal agencies should be criminalised

Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) yesterday decried job racketeering in federal agencies, saying such act should be criminalised. He said many poor Nigerians did not get employed in government agencies because “their own barrier is that they don’t know anybody.

” He said Nigeria would not have peace “until the son of nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody”.

Ndume stated this while briefing reporters on a bill for the establishment of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, which passed second reading on the floor of the Senate. He said though job seekers sometimes pay bribe because they are desperate, such act is wrong and should be criminalised. “If they’re employing people, let people be employed based on the constitutional provisions of federal character and merit.

“I feel very bad about it because I’m just opportune to become what I’m without knowing anybody. Now, they’re some people like me, but their own barrier is that they don’t know anybody. “That’s very unfortunate. And I say, this country will not have peace until the son of nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.