FAREWELL, DAVID S. PARRADANG

SOLOMON E. LEGGJACK pays tribute to Parradang, former Comptroller General of Immigration Service

It is certainly for nothing that William Shakespeare acquainted humanity with the obnoxious phrase “Be Ware of the ides of March” – famously attributed to a soothsayer, who forewarned the Legendary Julius Caesar of a clear and present danger to his person. This found expression on the 15th of March, ending his life abruptly and has ever since made the month of March synonymous with being a forerunner of misfortunes, ill luck or even death at the very worst.

It is the case that Monday the 3rd of March, 2025 established itself as a veritable day of infamy in the apocalyptical breath of the “ides of March” – as satanic warriors took away the life of Daivd S. Parradang in a rest house – and next day Tuesday 4th March 2025 deviously presented his lifeless body – as a “moral felon” to the public and to the grief of his immediate family and loved ones in particular.

David Shikfu Parradang OFR, mni was born on 6th September, 1959, obtained his First School Leaving Certificate Examination (FSLC) with “Distinction” in 1972. He proceeded to Government College, Keffi for his Secondary Education and obtained the coveted “Division One” in June, 1977. He read Sociology at the University of Jos where he obtained his B.SC, Second Class Upper Division. He then proceeded for his National Youth Service (NYSC) in Anambra State and upon his discharge, enlisted into the Immigration Department – (as it was then known) as Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) and later trained as a member of the Second Basic Course – Batch that passed out from ITSK -Kano in October, 1983.

His career progression equally followed a steady and upward path from the “Superintendent Cadre in 1982 up to the Comptroller’s Cadre in 1992 – and his duty tours spanned across several commands and work stations. His career development also followed a similar upward course as he pursued and earned a Master Degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos in 1997. He was thereafter admitted as a Comptroller of Immigration into the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 29 of the National Institute of Policy and Sategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru from February – November, 2007 – earning for him the sobriquet of Distinguished Member of the National Institute (mni). He was appointed by President Goodluck E. Jonathan to become the 14th Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS) on 10th June, 2013.

Late Mr. David Parradang’s appointment as CGIS broke the icy-calm atmosphere that pervaded NIS formations, beating frontline contenders to the post which occasioned a shocking but much needed break with the conventional practice of appointing the most Senior Officer to succeed a retiring CGIS. It must be added that he had the distinction of being the only officer in the history of the NIS to have served three successive CGIS as their SA – Operations in a row.

His appointment marked a generational shift and the sheer of scale of applause, joy and rejoicing by NIS personnel across all commands and formations over his appointment was amazing and unprecedented. The congratulatory dances, smiles, huggings and the like by NIS rank and file who trooped out to welcome him upon his return from the Minister of Interior’s Office after his decoration with the insignia of his new rank remains arguably the grandest ever accorded any CGI either before or after him.

Parradang – upon assumption of office became an Avant Garde of a policy shift and directional focus for proper management of the NIS in particular and effective Migration Management strategy in general. He enunciated a four – point development Blue Print viz:- Border Patrol, Internal Monitoring and Control, use of ICT and General Staff Welfare which he subjected to an NIS – wide plebiscite – across all  Commands and formations with a time frame for the State Commands Comptrollers and Heads of formations to turn – in suggestions and recommendations from personnel serving under them.

He thereafter empanelled a 13-man “Blue Print Steering Committee of Senior Officers” headed by the immensely cerebral Mr. Joseph O. Olaitan (DCG / rtd, but now deceased) as Chairman. The Committee did a damned good job of their terms of reference and submitted her report to an elated CGI Parrandang, who received same in a very formal session of officers and man of the Service and presented it the to the generality of NIS personnel as a working document.

This idea was new and the approach novel – but worked like magic- even to the amazement of a few sceptics, who doubted the workability of this new approach to policy formulation and implementation. The changes that followed were multidirectional and came in torrents anyway. The first was the creation of a Border Patrol Corps in September 2013 and the Training of Personnel for Patrols along the nations expansive border areas with renewed vigor. He also established 30 new land border control posts and 27 additional border patrol bases – with equipment- all in September 2013. The icing of the cake was the establishment of the Border Patrol Command and Control – ICT driven Centre at the SHQ.

The Administrative, Operational and ICT related changes came next and progressed apace. He directed the Secret Registry to undertake the verification of staff’s dates of birth and the genuiness of their academic credentials which unearthed anembarrassingly Service – wide abuses of these two components of personal data information.

He acted without fanfare and swiftly sanctioned those affected. The operations area witnessed the abolition of re-entry permits for resident expatriates in line with global best practices, cleared passport backlogs and ensured integration of passport issuance with payments to block revenue leakages. He also cleared Cerpabacklogs with special task teams appointed for this purpose.

The NIS under him and for the first time was clothed with eight Directorates by the new Act – each headed by a DCG. He created Special Commands such as Onne – Command, Idi-roko CP – Command, etc., and increased the number of foreign missions where NIS Personnel were posted for foreign service from 28 to 44.

He also established additional Cerpac Producing Centres and Passport Offices in State  Commands that had a high incidence of applicants with emphasis on “Zero Tolerance” for bribe – taking in exchange for Service delivery to the public. No officers or personnel ever dared to make any form of “returns” to him – throughout is tenure.

He made good his pledge on staff welfare and became the first CGI to pay bonuses to staff at Christmas and regularly selected staff from the four NIS Training institutions for preferential postings – within and outside the country – both as a motivation and reward for hard work.

He took up the issue of the amendment of the Establishment Act of 1963, which was pending before the National Assembly and had it passed into Law as the new Immigration Act, May, 2015. He thereafter constituted another panel headed by the amiable DCG J.O. Olaitan (of blessed memory) to draft a new Immigration  Regulation in line with the new Immigration Act, 2015 – which assignment was completed but could not be forwarded to the HMI before he was removed from office.

However we shall not forget to mention the unfortunate and failed nation – wide recruitment exercise in the fall of 2014 wherein some applicants lost their lives. This drew a pubic outrage – but the public eventually came to know that there was no act of omission or commission by Mr. Parradang that caused this avoidable tragedy. The above not with standing, he was well loved by his officers and men for his humility of spirit, honesty of purpose, compassion and respect for all, and prodigious energy for work.

Mr. Parradang even in retirement remained active and visible to his community, State and NIS family – providing visionary relevance, invaluable advice, mentorship and as a resource person in various Immigration/Migration related conferences within  and out side the country. ECOWAS Commission had him engaged as a resource person and had a planned engagement with them the week he died. He had unsuccessfully ran for two elective political offices in his home state of Plateau but remained active on other fronts. On 6th February 2025, he stood with other dignitaries to launch a book written by this writer, whom he had graciously appointed as his Special Assistant (on Operation) while in office at the SHQ/ Abuja.

He was a sports loving Comptroller – General and personally led the officers and men on a general work out on Fridays at the SHQ. He was an avid Golfer and member of the prestigious IBB Golf Club Abuja – whose ambience is even more suited for any form of social liaison.

We are still in a state of shock concerning Mr Parrandang’s sudden and inexplicable demise – a man of honour, ever cheerful with an unbelievable sense of honour – who would have rallied support for any one in need but hadn’t that opportunity for others  to rally round for him – in his moment of distress. We can say there is no Immigration

officer – dead or alive that is more loved than Parradang – as more than a

thousand men and women would have risen up for him.

We remain united in our quest for a proper and through enquiry into the circumstance

surrounding his demise – because we know him beyond the graphic image of him that

was circulated in the social media. His testimonial and service records to his country

tells a story of man of high ethical standards and impeccable morals. The avalanche of

eulogies from his constituency, Nigerians and the National Assembly members who

had brief sessions in his honour speaks volumes of his legacy.

Leggjack JP,

Comptroller of Immigration (rtd)