The tragedy struck roughly two years ago on March 15, 2014, an ill-fated Saturday. But reports strongly indicate that former Interior Minister, Mr. Abba Moro; an ex-Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Anatasia Daniel- Nwobia, one Mr. F.O. Alayebami, as well as Mr. Mahmood Ahmadu and Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited, are to be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the alleged disappearance of N676.6 million which the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) allegedly extorted from 676,675 job seekers during its tragic recruitment exercise on the aforementioned. The incident claimed the lives of 19 job applicants. Moro and others are to face trial for Advance Fee Fraud (popularly known in local parlance as 419).
We recall that the NIS, following its earlier advertisement on job openings in the NIS, invited applicants, which number reports now give as 676,675, for interview at various locations across the country. Each applicant was compelled to cough up N1,000 as recruitment fee; and made to purchase an NIS vest for N500, in addition. Last year, when the House of Representatives conducted a public hearing on protests by family members of the deceased job seekers that were promised automatic jobs by former President Goodluck Jonathan – a promise that is not fulfilled till date – both the incumbent Permanent Secretary in the Interior Ministry, Abubakar Magaji; and Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Henry Malgwi, who represented the Comptroller-General at the hearing, denied knowledge of where the money was. Reports credited to the EFCC, however, alleged that N202,500,000 of the amount was spent on buying No. 1, Lahn Crescent, Maitama, Abuja; and another N120, 100,000 spent on the upgrade of No. 2, Sigure Close, Off Monrovia Street, Wuse II, also in Abuja. Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, the recruitment firm contracted for the fatal exercise; and Mahmood Ahmadu, converted N101, 200,000 to United States’ dollars for personal use, the anti-graft agency stated. The revelations were said to be contained in the 11 charges the EFCC filed against Moro and the other accused persons recently at the Abuja Federal High Court.
The accused persons were alleged to have conspired under false pretence to induce the 676,675 Nigerian job seekers to part with the cumulative sum of N676,675,000, which represented the sum of N1,000 each of them paid for their online recruitment, with intent to defraud. Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited, which handled the online enlistment and recruitment services’ contract, was not a registered company; the contract was not advertised; and was awarded without Needs Assessment and Procurement Plan, contrary to the prescriptions of relevant laws.
The deaths occasioned by the suspicious recruitment exercise had sparked public outrage, with many calling for Moro’s removal from office as minister, a demand Jonathan ignored. Moro had passed the buck to former Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr. David Paradang, while the latter’s camp blamed the former minister and his business cronies for the tragedy. Indeed, not a few Nigerians will be excited with the fresh hope of justice, though coming relatively late in the day, considering the public impression created, rightly or wrongly, as well as the influence peddling that held sway, all to portray Moro as a sacred cow not deserving of even a slap on the wrist as punishment, despite the large number of lives lost during the shoddily organised recruitment exercise. Besides, to pacify the families of the dead and injured job seekers, Jonathan had promised automatic employment for three members of the family of each deceased applicant; and all those injured during the stampedes.
But till date, the jobs are yet to be given, despite repeated protests by representatives of the families affected; and the public hearing conducted by the House of Representatives on the matter late last year. Early last month (February), when one Mr. Edmund Osumah led members of the aggrieved families to the Interior Ministry in protest, Osumah quoted the Permanent Secretary as saying “serious attention is being given to the matter”. Virtually every aspect of the NIS recruitment drive seemed to have turned a glaring official deception, with no one to be put on the spot until now that the EFCC has taken up the gauntlet. We agree that Moro and the rest suspects are innocent of any crime in the eyes of the law, until the contrary is proven beyond any reasonable doubt. All we urge, therefore, is that diligent prosecution of the matter be carried out in a manner that will ensure the triumph of justice in the end.
