An officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), identified as Salihu Muhammed, has admitted to collecting N2.5 million from job seekers after promising to secure them employment with the secret police, but failed to fulfill his promise.

As the victims demand a refund of their money, one of the victims alleged that Muhammed pressured him into taking a loan and almost selling his only car to pay for the recruitment process.

One of the victims, Abdulkadir Liman, told SaharaReporters that Muhammed collected N2.5 million from him and another applicant, Abdullahi Alhassan, after claiming that his superior had reserved recruitment slots for interested candidates at N2.5 million each.

Liman said the arrangement was introduced to him by Alhassan, who had initially paid Muhammed N2 million in two instalments of N1.5 million and N500,000, with an agreement to pay the outstanding N500,000 after receiving an appointment.

Narrating his ordeal, Liman told SaharaReporters, “I met him (Salihu Muhammed) through my friend (Abdullahi Alhassan), who is also a victim.

“Salihu Muhammad told us that his boss had some slots for candidates who are interested in joining the DSS, and each slot cost N2,500,000.

“My friend picked interest and paid him (Salihu Muhammad) the sum of N2,000,000 on two occasions (1.5 million & N500,000), respectively. He was to balance N500,000 after receiving the appointment.

“My friend told me about the offer, and I was interested, but I don’t have money to pay for it. I told him (Salihu Muhammad) that I don’t have money, but I have a car which I use to sustain myself and my family; that once I get the appointment, I will sell my car and pay him, but he refused and insisted I sell the car and pay him so he could start the process.”

Liman said that following persistent pressure from Muhammed, he obtained a loan of N500,000 and transferred the money to him while putting his car up for sale to raise the remaining amount.

He alleged that potential buyers offered considerably lower prices because they suspected he was desperate to dispose of the vehicle.

According to him, Muhammed subsequently provided him with the telephone number of a man identified as Sadan, whom he described as a car dealer who could facilitate the sale.

Liman said he later discovered that Sadan was also a DSS staff member, a development that heightened his suspicion about the entire arrangement.

He said he eventually abandoned plans to sell his car because several aspects of the recruitment arrangement appeared questionable.

Liman further alleged that Muhammed continued demanding the outstanding balance and that, at one point, someone contacted him claiming to be calling from a DSS office to ask questions about his application and personal details.

“I strongly believe that he (Salihu Muhammad) arranged that call so I could feel that it is real,” Liman told SaharaReporters.

He also disclosed that he had independently checked the DSS recruitment requirements online before making any payment and discovered that he was already above the stipulated age limit of 30 years.

According to him, when he raised the issue with his friend, who subsequently informed Muhammed, the DSS officer allegedly assured them that his age would not be a problem.

Liman alleged that Muhammed offered to arrange a new National Identification Number (NIN) registration for him to alter his date of birth and backdate his age, demanding an additional N30,000 for the arrangement.

He further claimed that other applicants were invited to an interview at the DSS centre in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos, but he and Alhassan were excluded.

When they complained, Liman alleged that Muhammed told them not to worry, claiming that he was among the officers conducting the interviews and would award them the required scores without their physical attendance.

Liman said the developments increased his doubts, prompting him to contact people he knew to be DSS personnel to establish whether the recruitment process was genuine.

He alleged that he subsequently discovered that successful applicants had already proceeded to a training camp.

“When I called Salihu Muhammad that I learned that applicants were already in training camp; he ended the call. I called him several times for about a week, but he wasn’t answering,” he said.

Liman said he and Alhassan eventually concluded that the arrangement had not produced the promised appointments and demanded a refund of their money.

According to him, Muhammed asked them to allow two months for repayment after they requested their money back in May, but they have yet to receive any refund to date.

When contacted by SaharaReporters, Muhammed confirmed that he was a DSS officer and admitted that he collected the said money in connection with efforts to secure recruitment opportunities for the applicants.

However, he denied defrauding Liman and his friend, insisting that he had been trying to help him and other applicants through contacts within the security agency.

Muhammed said that a friend of his who is a police officer introduced him to the victim, whom he identified as a cousin working with the fire service, but wanted to leave his job and join the DSS.

“It is one of my friends who is a police officer who introduced one of our cousin brothers who is working in the fire service.

He said he wanted to change his work, and that I should please try and make it possible for him because I do help many people. I’m a DSS officer,” Muhammed told SaharaReporters.

“So the person wanted to move from the fire service to DSS, and the person wanted my help”

He said Liman had repeatedly contacted him since 2022, seeking assistance with DSS recruitment.

According to Muhammed, the applicant (Liman) eventually appealed to him to use his connections to secure the opportunity because he was dissatisfied with his existing salary at the fire service.

Muhammed claimed that the recruitment arrangement encountered difficulties because Liman had not obtained his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate before the DSS completed compiling its list of applicants.

He said he had introduced Liman to a cousin who is also a DSS officer and could assist with the recruitment process.

“When we started the transaction pending that before the final shortlisting, he would be able to get his NYSC discharge certificate because he told me he would finish NYSC between October and November,” he said.

“So, we hoped that before the DSS would finish compiling the list, he would have been able to meet up so that we could be able to assist him.

“But the major problem we had was that before he could bring his NYSC discharge certificate, they (DSS) had finished compiling the list. But I said since we are brothers, let me find a way to help him, because they were six in number at that time.”

He also admitted that he collected the N2.5 million from the applicants to pay the other DSS officer whom he claimed he had approached to facilitate the recruitment.

“The person I talked to for help, one of my cousins, collected money, and I explained everything to him (Abdulkadir Liman) directly,” Muhammed said.

“The person said he would collect N2 million. He is a DSS officer. I did this with the intention of helping him (Liman).”

Muhammed further claimed that six applicants were involved in the arrangement, with four successfully securing positions and completing their training.

He said the four successful applicants had only recently completed their training on Saturday, November 8, while the remaining two have been unsuccessful.

“In August, he (Liman) called me and said that he needed his money. He paid a total of N2.5 million. I said no problem,” he told SaharaReporters.

“The remaining two people, one paid N2 million while the other one paid N500,000. As these two people called me and said that they needed their money, that they are not interested anymore since they didn’t succeed, I told them no problem, that they should give me some time and I will pay them their money.”

Muhammed claimed that he had reached an understanding with the person who collected the money to use payments from successful applicants to refund those who were unsuccessful.

“Because of this issue, throughout this, I have been traumatised. My mother is always on dialysis. I travelled to the village multiple times to meet with the families of those that were successful, but they said that their beneseed and bean farms have not been harvested,” Muhammed said.

“That I should give them until the end of this month (November) or next month (December) to harvest and pay.”

“I explained the situation on the ground to them, but they said that without harvesting their crops, they don’t have any other way to get the money.”

He further claimed that he was attempting to obtain a bank loan to refund the applicants, saying he applied for an official introduction letter from his office to facilitate the loan.

“I was just helping, but I know this is risky. Because of this issue, I applied for an introduction letter from the office so that I can take it to GTBank and collect N3 million and give these people their N2.5 million,” he said.

“I’m still pushing it, but last time I checked, they said that our DDG has not signed the introduction letter. I sent him (Abdulkadir Liman) a message that they should bear with me. I’m still working on it. I will give them their money back. I will give them everything.”

Muhammed said he contacted Liman on Thursday, November 6, to explain the delay, but the applicant threatened to report him to the authorities.

“I sent him (Abdulkadir Liman) a message on Thursday (November 6). When I explained the situation to him, he said he would report me so that they can dismiss me. I have talked to many people to plead with him. I have called many people to help me plead with him,” Muhammed said.

“I will pay him his money. I told him, he knows me very well, that I cannot run away from him. The person who introduced him to me knows how many people I have helped. He should not bother; I will pay him his money. Just that all the means I have tried have not worked.

“I have put up my land for sale because of this issue, but it is in the village, and I have not seen a buyer. I have contacted GTBank, and they said they can give me up to N5 million. I’m just waiting for the office to sign my introduction letter so that I can take it to GTBank.”

Muhammed further claimed that another DSS officer from Liman’s village had intervened to plead with the applicant to exercise patience.

“I did not scam him. I was only trying to help him. To pay this money is not a problem. Just that everything I want to sell, I have not seen a buyer. I even devalued the price of the land I put up for sale, but I couldn’t see a buyer till today,” Muhammed told SaharaReporters.

Efforts to get the DSS’s official comments on the matter failed as the agency’s Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, neither answered calls nor responded to a message sent to her at the time of filing this report. (Sahara Reporters)