Immigration recruitment : NIS boss absolves former Perm sec and deputy director

Former Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), David Paradang, a witness in the ongoing trial of the former minister of interior affairs, Abba Moro, has absolved the second and third defendants from playing any role in the failed Immigration job exercise that claimed several lives.

The second and third defendants are Anastasia Nwobia, former permanent secretary of the Ministry of interior and F. O. Alayabami also a deputy director in the ministry who are standing trial alongside Moro.

Paradang, who appeared as the first prosecution witness in the alleged case of fraud in the 2014 recruitment exercise, admitted during cross examination that both Nwobia and Alayabami, neither attended meetings nor had their names or signature in the recruitment contract.

While being cross examined by Chris Uche SAN and Frank Ikpe, representing the second and third defendants, respectively, the witness also admitted that the second defendant  (Nwobia) was posted out of the Ministry about three months before the commencement of the exercise.

Having admitted to seeing a copy of the recruitment contract, Paradang told the court that he did not see the names nor signature of Nwobia and Alayabami on the said contract.

However, the need by counsel to the fourth defendant, Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, Sunday Ameh, to review the facts before him to conduct his cross examination, he told the court that he needed time to go through his questions.

The prosecution counsel, Yusuf Aliyu consequently sought the court for an adjournment even though he earlier informed the court that he has a total of about 21 witnesses.

Without any objection, the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned the matter till September 30, 2016 for continuation of trial.

Moro who is enjoying bail on self recognisance, is standing trial alongside, Nwobia, Alayebami, and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited on an 11 count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, procurement fraud and money laundering,

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused the defendants of defrauding about 676,675 Nigerian applicants of N676,675,000.