A deputy director working for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Yisa Usman, was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday over allegations of threatening the JAMB registrar’s wife, Raheemat Oloyede.
The allegations against Usman, as stated in the case with reference number FHC/ABJ/CR/139/2023, revolve around his supposed attempt to blackmail Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of the board, through threats made against his wife.
Usman, along with Abdulfatai Usman (who is currently at large), stands accused of engaging in offensive and indecent communication with Oloyede via a network computer system using the phone number +447529723948. The nature of their communication was deemed to be grossly offensive and criminally intimidating, causing unnecessary anxiety to Oloyede.
Furthermore, the police alleged that Usman, between January 31, 2022, and February 4, 2022, published letters through a computer system network on WhatsApp, falsely accusing JAMB registrar Oloyede and members of the management board of fraud and violation of the Federal Government’s regulations. This action is in violation of Section 24(1)(a) & (b) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
After the charges were presented, Usman pleaded not guilty to all counts. Subsequently, his counsel, Moses Balogun, applied for bail on his behalf. Balogun informed the court that a bail application was filed on June 7 and served to the prosecution on the same day.
Balogun, emphasizing Usman’s position as a deputy director, requested the court to grant bail on lenient terms or consider self-recognition pending the hearing and resolution of the case. The prosecuting counsel, Eristo Asaph, did not oppose the bail application. In her ruling, Justice Nkeonye Maha granted Usman bail in the sum of N2 million, with a surety who must be a civil servant at least at level 14 and own property within the jurisdiction of the court.
Alternatively, the judge stated that the surety could also be a responsible citizen who has paid their taxes for two years and possesses landed property within the court’s jurisdiction. The surety is required to submit their international passport and a passport photograph to the court registrar, along with an affidavit of means.
Pending the completion of bail requirements, Justice Maha ordered Usman to be held at a correctional center and adjourned the trial until October 26.
Balogun further requested the court to release his client to him within five days, providing an undertaking to ensure the completion of bail requirements. The judge granted the request and instructed that the undertaking be completed before the end of the workday.
In response to his arraignment, Usman stated to our correspondent that his troubles began when he questioned his transfer from Kaduna to Port Harcourt and the abuse of power by Oloyede. Usman explained, “I am a 54-year-old physically challenged Deputy Director that suffered the injustices of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
He continued, “My ordeal started with my deployment to Port-Harcourt from Kaduna despite my condition and in violation of the Disability Act. And that was the third posting in five years. My family is in Abuja. I resisted the violation for 20 months before it was reversed following the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Education.
“I petitioned the Ministry and several other agencies about the abuse of authority in JAMB and some financial infractions that I noticed. This caused a ministerial fact-finding committee to be set up to investigate my allegations, which were reportedly established.
He further stated, “Following my redeployment back to Kaduna in February, Prof. Oloyede issued me two queries within 14 days and followed it with an invitation to appear before a panel. The intention was to dismiss me from service, but I did not turn up at the panel. I instead sent a seven-page letter.
“Prior to these developments, I had raised concerns about Prof. Oloyede’s abuse of power and violations of the laws with negative consequences on staff.”
Furthermore, he said, “Prof Oloyede petitioned the IGP in February 2022 that I am a criminal. The investigation was concluded in March, but unexpectedly, I am now charged with five criminal charges and have to appear before the Federal High Court.”
