EFCC seeks forfeiture of properties acquired with proceeds from botched NIS recruitment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the federal high court, Abuja, to order the interim forfeiture of properties purchased with proceeds of the recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited is the firm that was given the recruitment contract. Each job seeker who applied was charged N1,000 for the exercise, which resulted in the deaths of 20 applicants in various recruitment centres across the country.

The exercise held on March 17, 2013, when Abba Moro was interior minister.

At the court on Wednesday, S. I. Ameh, counsel to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, opposed the motion, describing it as “overwhelming and prejudicial”.

“The money that was collected is traceable, as to what amount went to whom,” Ameh said.

“We have earlier written to the EFCC that we can return the money to EFCC and the applicants, but they have not replied.”

Aliyu Yusuf, counsel to EFCC, said the anti-graft agency received information that Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited is moving to dispose of the properties.

He urged the court to hear the application on merit.

“Information reaching us suggests that the defendant (the alter ego of Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited) who is at large is currently making efforts to dispose of the property,” Yusuf told the court.

Nnamdi Dimgba, the judge handling the case, fixed February 28 for hearing of the motion.

Earlier, the prosecution presented an amended 11-count charge against the defendants.

The 11th charge read: “That you, Abba Moro Patrick and Anastasia Daniel Nwobia and F. O. Alaiyebami on or about the 17th of March, 2013 at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court being employed in the public service, did abuse your office when you arbitrarily conducted recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service in which 675,675 (Six Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy Five) applicants were each made to pay the sum of N1000 (One Thousand Naira ) to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without following the required procurement procedure and without adequate preparation and security safe guards for the exercise resulting into the stampede, injury and death of applicants, an act which was prejudicial to the rights of the said applicants contrary to and punishable under Section 104 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C39 LFN 2004.”