A 33-year-old man has been arrested for writing a promotion examination on behalf of his father. Monsuru Musa was caught on Wednesday at the National Open University (NOUN) in Abuja. He was sitting the exam for Musa Mohammed, a worker with the FCT Fire Service. The arrest occurred on the third day of promotion examinations conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission.
Examination malpractice in Nigeria’s civil service is not new. In 2019, the Federal Civil Service Commission cancelled results after widespread cheating. In 2021, the Police Service Commission arrested impersonators at promotion exams in Abuja. In 2023, similar cases emerged in Lagos and Kaduna. The pattern reflects weak verification and desperation for promotion. Many workers see promotion as the only route to higher pay. Some resort to fraud. The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has made exam integrity a priority. His security deployment caught multiple offenders this week.
Monsuru claimed his father was sick. He said his father was within the NOUN premises, the venue of the examination. He said his father directed him to sit the exam on his behalf. When asked how old his father is, Monsuru said between 67 and 68. But the father later claimed he will be 60 by February 2027.
Interrogated further, Musa Mohammed said he finished secondary school in 1982 and primary school in 1977. That timeline raised questions. If he finished secondary school in 1982, he would be in his late fifties or sixties. His claim of turning 60 in 2027 contradicts his son’s estimate. The discrepancies deepened suspicion.
Both father and son were handed to the police for further investigation. They made statements to operatives of the Department of State Services before the handover. The FCT Civil Service Commission has not commented on the outcome. The examination continues.
Wike’s push to stop exam cheating has produced results. Security operatives have caught several impersonators this week. The arrests signal that the crackdown is real. Whether it deters others is another matter. Impersonation is a crime. It carries penalties under Nigerian law. Prosecution is rare. Many cases end with administrative sanctions. The police investigation will determine whether charges follow.
Winners: The FCT Civil Service Commission, which shows enforcement. Wike, whose crackdown gains visibility. Genuine candidates, who face fairer competition. Security agencies, which demonstrate vigilance. Losers: Monsuru Musa, who faces prosecution. Musa Mohammed, whose career and pension are at risk. Their family. Other cheats, who face heightened scrutiny. The FCT Fire Service, whose reputation suffers. The civil service, whose integrity is questioned again.
Bottom Line: A son wrote an exam for his father. Both were arrested. The father’s age and school records do not add up. The police are investigating. Wike’s crackdown is working. But the underlying problem remains. Promotion fraud persists because the system rewards paper qualifications over performance. Until that changes, sons will keep writing exams for fathers.