By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested a 27-year-old man, Joseph Nanmwa Philips, for allegedly impersonating member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The suspect was also arrested with forged scholarship documents.
Commandant of the Corps, Dr Olusola Odumosu,
Who paraded the suspect at the Command’s Headquarters on Thursday, said the culprit was arrested by their officers in Gwagwalada.
Speaking further, the Commandant an online report alleging unlawful detention and extortion within the Command.
He described the claims published by an online media platform as “entirely baseless, malicious and a deliberate attempt to misrepresent facts for sensational purposes.”
According to the Command, Philips, a native of Plateau State, was arrested on February 6, 2026, after allegedly using a forged NYSC call-up letter to secure a primary assignment placement at the International Model Science Academy, Kwali.
“The self-acclaimed NYSC member, Joseph Nanmwa Philips, was arrested by our Kwali Division following complaints bordering on forgery, hacking, and impersonation of the leadership of the National Mathematical Center,” the Command stated.
When confronted by our Correspondent with the allegations levelled against him, Philips admitted forging his call-up letter, even as the NYSC had also written the command to disclaim him.
He also said he signed his monthly clearance in Lugbe within the Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC, despite teaching in a school domiciled in Kwali Area Council.
Odumosu said further investigations revealed that the suspect reportedly cloned university email addresses and defrauded seven parents of approximately N1.3 million under the guise of securing Cambridge University scholarships and extra lessons for their children.
The Command clarified that the “N1.4 million fee” cited in the the online report was actually the sum of money Philips was expected to refund to his victims, rather than a bribe for his release.
“We are a credible institution with zero tolerance for corruption and no amount of money is charged for bail under any guise,” the statement added.
The NSCDC further clarified that Philips remains in custody due to his inability to meet bail conditions and is held under a valid remand order from the Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2. Exhibits recovered from the suspect include an NYSC uniform, a forged call-up letter, and a bag containing hard drugs.
The NSCDC urged government agencies and the private sector to be vigilant, noting that “if the likes of Phillips can succeed in getting placement as a Youth Corps member with fake documents without being detected for almost one year, it is obvious that many of such criminals are still walking freely.”
Addressing a separate allegation involving the detention of a 69-year-old man for 89 days, the Command dismissed the report as a “gross misrepresentation.”
The agency explained that the individual was involved in a case of Criminal Breach of Trust involving N217 million and was charged before the Federal High Court following a valid remand order.
The Command attributed the “misinformation” to a suspect currently on administrative bail, Chimezie Otuojo, alleging he resorted to “cheap blackmail to divert attention” from his own criminal investigation.
Attributing the “falsehoods” to a disgruntled suspect currently on administrative bail, the Command warned that it reserves the right to seek legal redress against platforms that publish unverified information.
