The ‘Sn∆ke Swallowed ₦36 Million’ Scandal: How a JAMB Clerk’s Explanation Became One of Nigeria’s Most Contr0versial Corruption Cases
The ‘Snake Swallowed ₦36 Million’ Scandal: How a JAMB Clerk’s Explanation Became One of Nigeria’s Most Controversial Corruption Cases
Few corruption stories in Nigeria have captured public attention quite like the infamous “snake swallowed ₦36 million” case.
What began as an attempt to explain missing examination funds quickly became one of the country’s most talked-about accountability controversies, generating widespread disbelief, public outrage, countless jokes on social media, and a full-scale investigation by anti-corruption authorities.
At the centre of the controversy was Ms. Philomena Chieshe, a former Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) clerk in Makurdi, Benue State.
In 2018, Chieshe reportedly claimed that a mysterious snake had entered the JAMB accounts office and swallowed ₦36 million generated from the sale of examination scratch cards.
The explanation stunned Nigerians and immediately sparked nationwide debate over transparency and accountability in public institutions.
According to reports at the time, the missing money was part of proceeds generated from the sale of JAMB scratch cards before the examination body phased out the system.
The unusual claim prompted JAMB to take immediate action.
The examination body announced that Chieshe had been suspended from duty while internal disciplinary procedures and investigations by security agencies commenced.
Speaking on the matter, JAMB’s Head of Information, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that the employee had been suspended pending the outcome of investigations. The board also dispatched teams of auditors to various state offices to reconcile records of sold and unsold scratch cards and account for all revenue generated.
As investigations progressed, the story took another dramatic turn.
During interrogation, Chieshe reportedly changed her earlier explanation, alleging instead that her housemaid had conspired with another woman, identified as Joan Asen, to “spiritually steal” the money from the accounts vault.
The revised account generated even greater public scrutiny as investigators continued examining what had happened to the missing funds.
The case eventually attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In 2019, the anti-graft agency arraigned Chieshe before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, charging her with eight counts, including corruption-related offences and allegedly providing false financial information during the investigation.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail.
According to publicly available court records, the criminal trial has remained at the prosecution stage, with the judicial process continuing.
The controversy unfolded during a period when questions were being raised about financial accountability within government agencies.
At the time, the Federal Government directed greater scrutiny of JAMB’s finances after then Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun disclosed that the examination body had, for the first time, remitted ₦5 billion to the Federal Government, compared with significantly lower remittances reported over previous decades. The disclosure intensified calls for investigations into historical financial management within the agency.
Years later, the phrase “snake swallowed the money” remains embedded in Nigeria’s public discourse, often cited whenever questions arise about accountability, public finance, and official explanations for missing funds.
Whether remembered as one of the country’s most astonishing financial scandals or as a cautionary tale about transparency in public service, the case continues to serve as a powerful reminder that extraordinary claims inevitably attract extraordinary scrutiny.
