Job scam: 42-year-old woman arrested for allegedly selling fake ECOWAS employment for over N47m

A 42-year-old lady was paraded in front of newsmen by the Katsina State Police Command for allegedly distributing bogus employment offer letters to unwary job seekers in Nigeria.

The suspect, Hajarat Iyeh Egbunu, allegedly amassed over N47 million via the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) job fraud, according to the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah.

Hajara allegedly took N3.5 million from each of the naïve job aspirants before sending them phony ECOWAS online appointment letters offering them a monthly salary of N3 million at the headquarters.

Hajara, who lives in Abuja, is claimed to be a former employee of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in Abuja who has been on security authorities’ watchlist for a variety of fraudulent activities.

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“Based on credible intelligence, the Command succeeded in arresting one Ibrahim Lawal El-Maki, ‘M’, 45yrs of Rafin Dadi Quarters, now residing at Gwarinpa Quarters, Abuja, who conspired with one Hajarat Iyeh Egbunu, ‘F’, 42yrs of Kubwa, Abuja, an indigene of Kogi state, a dismissed Nigerian Immigration Service officer, a notorious

“The fact of the case was that on October 15, 2020, the suspect Ibrahim Lawal El-Maki approached one Aminu Hamza, ‘M’, 32, of GRA, Katsina State, with a proposal for a job vacancy at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Headquarters, Abuja, with a salary of over three million Naira” (N3 million). He also informed him that each bid is valued between three and five million dollars (N3.5 million).

“The aforementioned Aminu Hamza notified his friends of this lucrative offer, and they gathered interest and accumulated the sum of seven million Naira (Seven Million Naira), which they deposited to Ibrahim El-account.” Maki’s Ibrahim Lawal ElMaki, the suspect, then provided him copies of the appointment letters over WhatsApp, which were later proven to be fraudulent.

“Ibrahim Lawal Elmaki was tracked down and apprehended during the course of the investigation.” He further admitted to collecting the money but giving it to one Hajarat Iyeh Egbunu in good faith with the intention of supporting his buddies in obtaining lucrative ECOWAS jobs.

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“Elmaki cooperated and supported the police in their investigation, which led to the arrest of the main suspect, Hajarat Iye Egbunu, who confessed to receiving the sum of N34 million and eight hundred thousand from Ibrahim Lawal Elmaki through her bank accounts.” Elmaki, on the other hand, claimed to have received money from him in the amount of N47 million.

“It may interest you to know that other members of the public who have been scammed by the suspect using the same method as Hajarat Iye Egbunu are still flocking to the Command Headquarters to file complaints. The investigation is still going on.”