Job scam: Woman arrested for selling fake ECOWAS employment worth over N47m

The Katsina State Police Command has paraded before newsmen a 42-year-old woman for allegedly selling fake employment offer letters to unsuspecting job seekers in Nigeria.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, SP Gambo Isah, the suspect, Hajarat Iyeh Egbunu allegedly amassed over N47 million from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) job scam.

Hajara allegedly collected the sum of N3.5 million from each of the unsuspecting job seekers before issuing them with the fake ECOWAS online appointment letters to work at the headquarters, with a monthly salary of N3 million.

Hajara, who resides in Abuja, is said to be a former staff of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) based in Abuja who has been on the watchlist of security agencies for various fraudulent offences.

According to SP. Isah Gambo: “based on credible intelligence, the Command succeeded in arresting one Ibrahim Lawal El-Maki, ‘M’, aged 45yrs of Rafin Dadi Quarters, now residing at Gwarinpa Quarters, Abuja who conspired with one Hajarat Iyeh Egbunu, ‘F’, aged 42yrs of Kubwa, Abuja, an indigene of Kogi state, a dismissed Nigerian Immigration Service officer, a notorious fraudster who has been on the wanted list of security agencies for various offences relating to fraud.

“The fact of the case was that on 15/10/2020, the suspect Ibrahim Lawal El-Maki, approached one Aminu Hamza, ‘M’, aged 32yrs of GRA, Katsina State with a proposal for a job vacancy at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Headquarters, Abuja, with a salary of more than three million Naira (N3 million). He also informed him that each offer is sold at three million and five hundred thousand (N3.5 million).

“The said Aminu Hamza informed his friends of this lucrative offer, they picked interest and gathered the sum of seven million Naira (Seven Million Naira) which they transferred to Ibrahim El-Maki’s account. Subsequently, the suspect, Ibrahim Lawal ElMaki sent copies of the appointment letters to him through WhatsApp which were later discovered to be fake.

“In the course of investigation, Ibrahim Lawal Elmaki was traced and arrested. He also confessed to have collected the said money but gave it to one Hajarat Iyeh Egbunu in good faith with intent of assisting his friends to get ECOWAS juicy appointments.

“Elmaki cooperated and assisted the police in their investigation which led to the arrest of the principal suspect Hajarat Iye Egbunu, who confessed to have received the sum of thirty-four million, eight hundred thousand naira (N34 million and eight hundred thousand) from Ibrahim Lawal Elmaki through her bank accounts. But Elmaki stated that she collected the sum of forty-seven million, three hundred and fifty thousand (N47 million) from him.

“It may interest you to know that other unsuspecting members of the public defrauded by the suspect through the same modus operandi by Hajarat Iye Egbunu are still trooping to the Command Headquarters to lodge their complaints. Investigation is ongoing.”