Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Trouble may have started brewing in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), as some officers of the Service have written to President Muhammadu Buhari not to extend the tenure of the Comptroller-General of NIS, Idris Isah, who normally should have retired.
The officers did not also rule out protesting should the comptroller-general spend a day beyond his present extension of service.
Isah has had his retirement extended from last year to April 24, 2023, but there is an allegation that he has started lobbying for another one year extension, a situation which the aggrieved officers claimed would affect the morale and discipline in the Service.
In a letter signed by Akinwale Ayomipo Dennis on behalf of the officers who addressed themselves as Concerned Nigeria Immigration Stakeholders, the group told the president that they took the decision not for personal gains but to protect the integrity and sanctity of the Nigeria paramilitary structure, particularly the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The letter read in part: “We are a group of patriotic Nigerians writing under the aegis of Concerned Nigeria Immigration Stakeholders, who are worried about recent developments in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Our worry is not about personal interest but about protecting the integrity and sanctity of the Nigeria paramilitary structure, particularly the NIS, and more importantly is the preservation of your legacy as a rare nationalist and principled retired military officer who understands and imbibes the fundamental concept of morale in the military and paramilitary system.
“We are compelled to write this letter to you, being the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and father of all, including all the officers (rank and file) of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
“Sir, permit us to draw your attention to the planned further extension of tenure of the current acting Comptroller-General of the NIS, Idris Isah, who officially retired from the service on April 24, 2022, after acting for seven months following the retirement of Mohammed Babandede in September 2021.
“But after his retirement in April last year, he was asked to continue as the CG in acting capacity for another one year, which will elapse on April 24 this year.
“To say the least, his tenure as acting CG has been uneventful, and appeared to have set the service backward in several ways which we do not want to divulge to the public.
“But the one that is already public knowledge is the delay and the stress Nigerians go through to acquire new international passports. We cannot begin to recount the damage that has been done to the image of the NIS in the last one year.
“But most importantly, and of most concern to us is the plan by the acting CG to seek another extension in clear contravention of service rule.”
They added that they are aware that the acting CG has been lobbying to ensure he gets another one year in office, claiming they have proof of the CG’s action as the latest was a letter he wrote to all directorates of the NIS dated April 12 titled: ‘Official Assignment’, where he informed the directorates that he would be traveling for assignment to come back on April 25, which is a date beyond the one-year extension he was given; this they stated was an implication that the acting CG was already looking forward to another extension.
They told President Buhari that this “will be a disservice to Nigeria and a tragedy for the NIS if Idris Jere succeeds in getting another extension when there is a pool of more competent officers to occupy the CG position.
“We are, therefore, appealing to the president not to entertain any argument to extend the tenure of the acting CG as this may irreparably damage officers’ morale with the consequent effect on service delivery.”
The stakeholders did not rule out that concerned aggrieved personnel of the NIS may embark on an embarrassing protest against further tenure elongation for the acting CG, which may negatively affect the image of the Service.
