The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) command at the International wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, has fired 8 officers and sanctioned 18 others for various offences ranging from indiscipline to corrupt practices including employment racketeering.
The personnel who were summarily dismissed comprise one chief superintendent of immigration (CSI), two deputy superintendents of immigration (DSI), two assistant superintendents of immigration II (ASI2) and three rank and file.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by Mr. Kenneth Kure of the command’s public affairs unit, the NIS also announced the redeployment of 100 of its officers to other units and departments, pending the determination of a recent allegation of bribe against them by a traveller.
Kure who signed the statement on behalf of the comptroller general of the NIS, Mr. Isah Idris, disclosed that the decision was taken following the approval granted by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), which reportedly noted that “the conducts of the personnel have remained grossly unbecoming and unacceptable as members of the service.”
NIS said the dismissal of the eight concerned officers followed the due process and laid down procedures backed by the law governing the agency.
It said a total of 35 personnel had earlier been presented before both the senior disciplinary committee (SDC) and orderly room trial (ORT) processes “to ascertain their level of culpability in the various allegations of offences against discipline ranging from employment racketeering, sharp practices, dishonest conducts, absent from duty without official leave (AWOL) among others, as preferred against them.”
“After exhaustive deliberations by the committees, eight personnel comprising one chief superintendent of immigration (CSI), two deputy superintendents of immigration (DSI), two assistant superintendents of immigration II (ASI2) and three rank and file were summarily dismissed from the Service.
“Furthermore, one other chief superintendent of immigration was ordered to proceed on compulsory retirement while nine other personnel were demoted in rank. They include one assistant superintendent of immigration II (ASI2) who has been demoted to the rank of inspector of immigration, two inspectors who have been reduced in rank to assistant inspectors and 6 other junior personnel who have been ordered to lose their current ranks.
“Meanwhile, nine other personnel comprising one assistant superintendent of immigration II (ASI2) and eight (8) junior personnel were issued warning letters just as six personnel were discharged and acquitted from all the allegations brought against them,” the NIS stated.
The agency also said 100 of its officers who were working at the airport until today’s announcement, were being posted out of the airport with immediate effect.
The statement added that an undisclosed number of some of the affected officers had also been ordered to face disciplinary procedures “to ascertain their level of involvements in some unprofessional conducts and practices reported at the airport recently.”
Recall that in October, a traveller, with the Twitter handle @derby__, narrated her ugly experience at the airport in Lagos, accusing some officials of the agency of extortion and bribery.
The traveller, who displayed the picture of one of the accused in her tweets, said the officers had lied to her that because she was not yet 40 years old, she would not be allowed into the United Arab Emirates.
She said she eventually gave N10, 000 bribe to the officers but advised intending young travellers to be wary of the NIS officers at the airport.
In reaction, the agency thanked the complainant for documenting her experience and pledged its commitment to investigate the matter and punish whoever is found guilty.
With Premium Times report
