Fresh investigations have uncovered that the embattled Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Pastor Tomonialadieokuma Ismael, allegedly falsified his official records in order to extend his retirement age by two years.
According to documents obtained by Noble Report Nigeria (NRN), Pastor Ismael whose official retirement was due today, September 16, 2025 allegedly manipulated his date of birth during the recent civil service verification exercise. His original date of birth, September 16, 1965, places him at the statutory retirement age of 60, with 35 years in service.
However, NRN gathered that Pastor Ismael presented a new date of birth, December 26, 1967, thereby fraudulently shifting his retirement year to 2027. Following this alleged falsification, a new official identification card reflecting the altered information was reportedly issued to him.
Sources within the Ministry revealed that other senior civil servants may have also exploited the verification exercise to adjust their records and prolong their tenure in service.
Pastor Ismael, who also serves as a pastor with Salvation Ministries, began his career as a classroom teacher before transferring to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, where he rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary. Investigators note that despite benefiting fully from civil service entitlements, he allegedly sought to overstay his statutory service period.
Further findings showed that his name in the ministry’s nominal roll currently carries no retirement date, raising suspicion of deliberate tampering with records.
Previous Allegations
This is not the first time Pastor Ismael has been enmeshed in controversy. Earlier this year, NRN reported his alleged involvement in a ₦22 million scandal, following a viral video that captured a heated altercation between a Director loyal to him and the ministry’s Director of Finance and Administration (DFA). The funds were reportedly transferred by the Sole Administrator for projects across three ministries. Both the DFA, the Director, and the Permanent Secretary are said to be facing a disciplinary panel at the Rivers State Civil Service Commission.
In a separate case, the Permanent Secretary was also linked to the alleged diversion of ₦21 million, earmarked for the renewal of a telecommunications mast at the Port Harcourt Zoo, into a dormant Access Bank account belonging to the ministry. Read full report here.
Calls for Action
Civil servants and observers are calling on the Acting Head of Service, the Civil Service Commission, and the Accountant-General of the State to take decisive action on the matter. Analysts argue that allowing such allegations to go unchecked could embolden further document falsification within the state’s civil service.
NRN maintains that this case should serve as a deterrent to civil servants attempting to manipulate official records for personal gain.