...for allegedly using forged governor's letters to get jobs
Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu
THREE workers in Enugu State University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Parklane, have landed in police net for allegedly gaining employment with forged letters, purportedly written by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Southern City News learnt that the said letters bore the official letterhead of the Office of the Governor and also had the governor's signature.
The suspects, Onuoha Gloria, Onwuameze Roseline and Thomas Nwigwe, were reportedly employed as accountant on Grade 11, Level 7, Higher Executive Officer Level 8 and chief typist CONTISS 8, Step 13, respectively.
Spokesman, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, disclosed that one Chijioke Nzegwu facilitated the forged letters.
It was gathered that Nzegwu received an unspecified sum of money from Nwigwe on behalf of himself and other suspects, to raise the letters.
Amaraizu said Nzegwu was on the run, stressing that the police were on his trail and would surely bring him to book.
The state police spokesman added that the Command had commenced investigations into the criminal act.
Southern City News learnt the employment scam was uncovered after some employees of the hospital, who were suspicious of irregularities in the appointment of the new workers, raised the alarm.
There are unconfirmed reports that similar fraudulent employments are being recorded in other agencies and establishments in the state.
The employment scam is coming on the heels of previous attempts by fraudsters to use the governor's identity to perpetrate fraud.
In March, one of Ugwuanyi's mobile telephone numbers was hacked by fraudsters. The fraudsters had moved to defraud some prominent individuals in the state, who they contacted with the mobile telephone number, before the development came to light.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Uwakwe Abugu, had to issue a statement, urging members of the public, especially those who had been contacted by fraudsters, to "totally disregard any communication extended to them through that cell phone number purporting to have emanated from His Excellency, the Governor."
But not deterred by the discovery of the hacking of the mobile telephone number, fraudsters again targeted Ugwuanyi, cloning his Facebook account in a bid to perpetrate fraud.
Abugu again had to urge members of the public to beware of the fake Facebook account.
In a statement, Ugwuanyi's spokesman said, "Regrettably, the attention of the governor, has again, been drawn to yet another phase of suspected fraudulent activities, this time, in the social media, where Facebook accounts have been opened with the name and photograph of the governor, perhaps, with the aim of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.
"This urgent announcement is, therefore, to alert and urge members of the public not to fall prey to the antics and possible nefarious activities of these suspected fraudsters.
"All official business dealings with the Enugu State Government and the governor should be transacted through the Government House, Enugu, and not through any social media platform."
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