Yesterday the EFCC arrested Abba Moro, over the Nigerian Immigration recruitment scam in which no fewer than 20 job seekers died. Also arrested were former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Anaesthesia Nwaobia, and a deputy director who allegedly facilitated the scam.
They will be arraigned on a 12-count charge in the Federal High Court Abuja today. Some of the charges against them include obtaining by false pretence, procurement offences, corrupt practices and money laundering.
At least 9 job seekers died on March 15, 2014 at the Abuja National Stadium while scrambling to secure seats for the recruitment test into the Nigerian Immigration Service. In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, 4 applicants died from the stampede while 12 others sustained injuries.
After the tragedy, several Nigerians demanded the resignation or dismissal of Moro and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, David Parradang, as well as their criminal prosecution for involuntary homicide. They were accused of putting in place a sham recruitment process that enabled the interior ministry to extort at least N520m in compulsory levy imposed on applicants, but nothing happened.
