Lagos lawyer Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has asked the Minister of Interior,
Abba Moro to refund the N700 million recruitment fees collected from
job applicants into the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Falana gave the minister seven days within which to refund the money
to the applicants failure of which he threatened to sue him for
extortion.
“Take notice that if you fail or refuse to accede to our request, we
shall not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings against you for
extorting N700 million from the job seekers on behalf of the Federal
Government which ought to have secured employment for them. It is
hoped that you will not compel us to resort to litigation in the
circumstance as it will expose the Federal Government to untold
embarrassment”, he stated.
The activist claimed that since the National Assembly did not pass any
money bill authorising the collection of the recruitment fee or levy
of N1,000 per applicant, the action of the minister is a violation of
Section 59 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which provides that there shall be a bill
“for the imposition of or increase in any tax, duty or fee or any
reduction, withdrawal or cancellation thereof”.
“In view of the imposition of the recruitment fee or levy without any
appropriation by the National Assembly we are compelled to request you
to refund the said sum of N700 million to the applicants including the
bereaved families of those who lost their lives within seven days of
the receipt of this letter”, he said.
In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, Falana claimed to have
confirmed that the minister extorted the sum of N700 million from
hapless Nigerians who recently applied for employment in the Ministry
of Interior in spite that there was no plan to employ the majority of
the applicant.
He noted that , the said sum of N700 million was obtained under false pretenses.
“In spite of your official negligence which led to the tragic death of
20 of the applicants, you stated that the Federal Government had not
ordered you to refund the said sum of N700 million. You have therefore
decided not to refund the money or forfeit it to the Federal
Government”, he further stated.
