Less than 24 hours to the end of her tenure as Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), loyalists of Dr. Muheeba Farida Dankaka reportedly mobilised thugs to stage a counter-protest against staff members who had earlier demonstrated over her five-year leadership.
On Thursday, workers at the FCC in Abuja staged a peaceful protest against Dankaka, denouncing her administration as oppressive and lamenting that staff had been made redundant while their work was outsourced to outsiders.
The workers’ representatives appealed for urgent intervention from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, alleging that Dankaka is making desperate efforts to return to office through bribery.
“Allegations are rife that she has paid the sum of N500 million, and this money will be shared among all the offices mentioned above for her reappointment,” the workers’ representatives stated in a letter dated June 26, 2025.
The workers alleged that Dankaka’s leadership had been marked by rot and excesses, including the seizure of about 22 vehicles of the commission, indebtedness to electricity bills, and refusal to follow approved financial regulations.
However, on Friday morning, thugs mobilised to the Commission’s headquarters on a solidarity protest in support of Dankaka.
A staff member of the commission expressed concerns that the situation could have escalated out of control if not for the prompt response of the police.
“She (Dankaka) recruited hoodlums to the office this morning to come and disorganise the workers for demanding accountability on her stewardship,” the staff member said.
The staff member also alleged that Dankaka and the thugs operated in the commission till 1 am, moving government properties out of the commission.
“She came into the commission yesterday and packed sensitive files and all government properties out last night. She and the thugs operated yesterday till 1 am today, moving things out of the commission,” the source said.
The staff member also alleged that Dankaka has taken 21 vehicles belonging to the commission, including Hilux and coastal buses.
“About 21 cars are in her custody. We have our proof – 21 of our vehicles, including Hilux and coastal buses are in her custody,” one of the workers alleged.
The workers also expressed frustration over the lack of transparency in the commission’s operations.
“All the staff who protested were with their ID cards. Let those thugs she brought show their own ID cards to Nigerians if they are staff members of the Federal Character Commission,” one of the protesting workers said.
“Nobody knows how she gives out contracts, nobody knows how she takes slots, nobody knows how she spends overhead, nobody has been promoted, no training in five years.”
“Anything that concerns the commission, she is not interested in it. All she is interested in is bidding for waivers, giving certificates of compliance illegally and the money that is coming. And that is why we are saying, ‘enough is enough,’” one of the staff members said.
“As the staff members, we are the commission,” one of them said.
When SaharaReporters reached out to Dr. Muheeba Dankaka for comment, she repeatedly declined incoming calls. As of the time of filing this report, she had not responded to a text message requesting her reaction.