A 33-year-old man, Monsuru Musa, has been arrested in Abuja for allegedly sitting the FCTA promotion examination on behalf of his father Musa Mohammed, who works with the FCT Fire Service.
Security operatives caught him on Wednesday, October 7, the third day of the exercise conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Both Monsuru and his father have since been handed over to the police for further investigation. 
How the FCTA promotion examination impersonation unfolded
Security personnel deployed at the instance of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike apprehended Monsuru during the test. Under questioning, he first said his father was sick but was within the NOUN premises, the exam venue.
He later admitted his father had directed him to take the exam in his place, according to a statement from the minister’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka.
Both men then made statements to operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) before being handed over to the police.
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Conflicting age claims raise questions
The interrogation produced puzzling details. Asked about his father’s age, Monsuru said he was between 67 and 68. Musa Mohammed, however, said he will be 60 in February 2027.
The father also said he finished primary school in 1977 and secondary school in 1982. Reports say the circumstances of the alleged impersonation, including his eligibility to sit the exam, are expected to form part of the police investigation. No charges have been announced, and nothing has been proven so far.
For context, the standard retirement age in the federal civil service is 60 years, or 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
Background: FCTA’s computer-based promotion drive
The FCT Civil Service Commission introduced computer-based tests (CBT) for promotion in 2025. Its chairman, Emeka Eze, said the format was meant to remove interference and pressure from promotions.
The commission was also set up to clear a backlog of promotions that had been pending for years. Eze said in 2025 that the workforce verification exercise had uncovered cases of falsified age records, and that workers found falsifying their age were asked to retire. There is no suggestion yet that this case involves any such falsification.
Promotions have been a sensitive issue for staff. The non-promotion of employees helped trigger an FCTA workers’ strike in January 2026. In November 2025, more than 2,000 staff across 165 cadres were approved for promotion after a CBT round.
What happens next
The police will now decide what action to take against the father and son. For the FCT Civil Service Commission, the case is a reminder that the promotion process is being closely watched.
It will also test how firmly Wike’s administration deals with examination fraud as it works through the backlog.
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