Abba Moro: to be charged with 419 offence

Former interior minister, Abba Moro, arrested on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  over the tragic 2014 immigration recruitment scandal will soon have his day in court, to be charged with advance fee fraud, otherwise known as 419, among others.

He will also be charged with violation of Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007, misconduct, contrary to Section 22(5) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission Act 2000 and offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011.

The sum of N676.6 million was collected from 676,675 desperate job seekers, online through Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited.

The EFCC  has completed its probe and has filed an 11-count charge against Moro and all the officials connected with the scam, in which on the day of job test, an unprecedented 19 people died in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Minna.

To be arraigned with Moro are a former Permanent Secretary, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, F. O. Alayebami , Mahmood Ahmadu, now at large,  and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd.

The charges are as follows:

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia,  F.O Alayebami , Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd on or about the 17th of March 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud conspired to induce a total number of 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to deliver property to wit: cumulative sum of N676,675,000 which sum represents the sum of N1,000 per applicant under the false pretence that the money represents payment for their online recruitment exercise into Nigerian Immigration Service and which pretence you knew was false, contrary to Section 8 and 1(1) (b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences

Act, No. 14 of 2006

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia,  F.O Alayebami , Mahmood Ahmadu ( at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd on or about the 17th of March 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud conspired to induce a total number of 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to deliver property to wit: cumulative sum of N676,675,000 which sum represents the sum of N1,000 per applicant under the false pretence that that you have followed the necessary procedure and that the money represents epayment for their online recruitment exercise into Nigerian Immigration Service and which pretence and you knew was false, contrary to Section 8 and 1(1) (b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and  F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without advertising the contract contrary to Section 45 and punishable under Section 58(5) of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and  F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without Needs Assessment and Procurement Plan, contract contrary to Section 16(1) (b) and Section 18 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and  F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited to develop recruitment portal through selective tendering process by inviting four(4) firms without seeking approval of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) contrary to sections 40, 42 and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and  F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and signed by unregistered Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited when you knew that Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited was not responsive to mandatory prequalification contrary to sections 50(5) and 51  of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and  F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court  did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and signed by unregistered Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited when you knew that there was no budgetary provision for the exercise in the 2014 Federal  Capital Budget and transferring responsibility to fund the project to applicants through mandatory payment of N1,000 without approval of the Board, contrary to Section 22(5) of the Independent Corrupt Practices Act 2000.

“That you  Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu(At large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N202,500,000 part of the N676,675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to buy property No. 1, Lahn Crescent Maitama, Abuja with the aim of disguising the illicit origin of the said sum, knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

“That you  Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu(At large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N120, 100,000 being part of the N676,675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to upgrade property No.2 Sigure Close, Off Monrovia Street, Wuse II Abuja  with the aim of disguising the illicit origin of the said sum knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

“That you  Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu(At large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N101,  200,000 being part of the N676,675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to United States dollars for your personal use knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. “