A Transparency group, known as Action Against Corruption and Institutional Fraud (ACIF), has raised an alarm over an alleged institutional fraud and corruption in the the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), claiming it has led to huge loss of revenue for the country.
According to the ACIF, the present administration of President Bola Tinubu should direct the relevant agencies including the EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau and the Federal Civil Service Commission to investigate the NIS leadership from 2021 till date on alleged auctioning of functional vehicles scam under Caroline Wuraola Adepoju supervision as Committee chair for auction, arbitrary contracts and sharing of government money, lack of accountability and due process in execution of government projects and shady sharing of recruitment slots.
The National Coordinator of the group, Dr. Seun Aborinde, said despite the sterling achievements recorded by the NIS in the last 60 years, the NIS is gradually becoming a rot of corruption and losing it’s glory under successive administration to nepotism, impunity and ethnicity in the 21st century.
Aborinde, stated that the quest for a virile and corruption-free NIS has led many retired immigration officers to cry out over the ongoing fraud and manipulations noticed within the NIS.
“In 2022 Aregbesola, as Minister of Interior, denied a whole generation of senior immigration officers of their entitled ranks before retirement. Yet in the same year, 2022 promotion, a dead person was promoted posthumously.
“Junior officers were promoted and seniors denied, making a junior now a senior to his superior before the interview. Why Nigeria Immigration Service? The 1988 sets were shortchanged and retired without promotion while their juniors of 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 were promoted, especially from the rank of Comptroller to Assistant Comptroller General.
“As if that was a rehearsal, the Deputy Comptrollers General have turned the service to caricature among other services by lobbying for illegal extension of service years. Of course Aregbesola started with Jere and Dupe, gave them approval using political gimmicks to make it a standard. The likes of Acting Comptroller General Isa Jere Idris now retired was a beneficiary, Caroline Wuraola Adepoju came after Jere, she was to retire on the 31st May 2023, she lobbied and got extension, further lobbied and was confirmed the 18th Comptroller General of Immigration service.
“An appointment she got without respect from her colleagues. With the likes of Usman Babangida now promoted Deputy Comptroller General. Babangida by his age at birth 23rd November, 1962 was to have retired in 2022, yet still hanging around and even retained in the service Human Resource Management Directorate as head, where he has continued the clandestine recruitments, postings and changing of information on his documents and that of his cronies.
“How possible is it for someone on Deputy Comptroller Generals rank to be claiming to retire in 2028? Meaning, every rank mate and immediate juniors would have retired while she will still be in the service, to be specific DCG Emenike. Another by name, Assistant Comptroller General Fagbamigbe, is claiming 1968 as date of birth, what a shame and embarrassment.”
The group in the petition sent to President Bola Tinubu argued that there is the need for the overhaul of the NIS for total cleansing and proper promotions “or else the service will rot and may start stinking.”
The group also accused the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, of complicity and not putting the NIS on a sound footing on assumption of office.
“The Minister is not helping matters by introducing a sham special promotion, where a 2022 promoted Comptroller was promoted Assistant Comptroller General in 2023 in a coded Special Promotion. Where is the place of honour, character and integrity? This is one chance?
“EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct, Federal Civil Service Commission should investigate the NIS leadership from 2021 till date on alleged auctioning of functional vehicles under Caroline Wuraola Adepoju supervision as Committee chair for auction, arbitrary contracts and sharing of government money, lack of accountability and due process in execution of government projects and shady sharing of recruitment slots, this and many cans of worms to be opened in the new year.”
On the call for the removal of the NIS from the supervision of the Ministry of Interior, the group accused the Minister of Interior of insulting personel and becoming uncessarily abusive, “the use of abusive language and high handedness of the Minister appointed to supervise and not to suppress and desecrate a respectable and disciplined service like the Nigeria Immigration Service.
“Systems, institutions and entities are evolving into world class, modern and decent both in operation and administration as a society or organisation. Reverse is the case with the NIS under the Ministry of Interior. It is high time the Service be under a commission headed by a former Comptroller General like Joseph Chukwurah Udeh, David Paraddang, Muhammad Babandede, who have distinguished themselves.
“As a Minister, Hon. Olubunmi Ojo has dececrated his office and cast dishonour on the NIS and other institutions of equivalent levels by subjecting the 60 years of honour, integrity and characters of the personel to question. It is an affront to respectable men and women of the NIS for a politician to use abusive and foul language in public space berating and degrading very respectable service as if you are handling primary school pupils.”
