Chairman of Basic Exam Bodies Accused of Extortion, Weaponizing Powers Against WAEC, NECO, and JAMB
A major corruption scandal is shaking the foundations of Nigeria’s legislative integrity, centering on the Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, Hon. Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji. An exclusive investigation reveals that the lawmaker is allegedly running a sophisticated extortion racket, demanding millions of naira in kickbacks from the nation’s premier examination agencies—and initiating vengeful probes when they refused to pay.
Hon. Oforji, representing the people while holding a crucial oversight role, is accused of turning his committee into a personal instrument of coercion, allegedly compromising the very institutions responsible for the credibility of national examinations.
The Anatomy of an Extortion Plot
Sources within the affected agencies—including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS, and JAMB—detail a pattern of aggressive pressure from the Chairman. Oforji allegedly demanded a substantial slice of the agencies’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), purportedly for “committee use.”
When the agencies stood firm and resisted these unlawful demands for public funds, the lawmaker allegedly weaponized the legislative powers granted under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution. He reportedly initiated a sudden and wide-ranging “performance audit,” demanding sensitive financial documents under the guise of legitimate legislative oversight.
Rigged Audits and Targeted Harassment
The probe, sources say, was designed as a retaliatory strike. Hon. Oforji is accused of hiring and subsequently firing a consultant who refused to cooperate in fabricating evidence against uncooperative CEOs. He allegedly then brought in a second consultant with explicit instructions to “find or fabricate evidence” to implicate officials who declined to divert public funds into his alleged private schemes.
Committee Members Revolt: “He Kept the Money”
The allegations are corroborated by a stunning revolt from within Oforji’s own committee, OBSERVERS TIMES can authority report of fellow members have broken their silence, accusing the Chairman of operating a “one-man extortion scheme” and using their names to secure illicit funds:
₦62.7 Million Phantom Event: Oforji allegedly secured ₦62.7 million for an official event that, according to committee members, never took place. The full amount was allegedly diverted into the committee’s Zenith Bank account (No. 1311194060).
Missing ₦19.7 Million: When confronted by his colleagues, Oforji allegedly refused to release the funds, preventing members from participating in the supposed activity. He eventually returned only ₦43 million, leaving a staggering ₦19.7 million unaccounted for.
Solo London Trip: In a separate incident, the Chairman allegedly obtained funds for an official, committee-based trip to London, yet travelled alone and pocketed the entire budget allocated for the delegation.
