The Nigeria Immigration Service on Friday dismissed eight of its personnel from the service for various offences relating to indiscipline, employment racketeering and other forms of corrupt practices. Also, 18 officers were sanctioned for the same reason.
Last month, the Comptroller-General, NIS, Isah Idris, ordered the investigation into a case of extortion perpetrated by officers of the agency at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The order followed a recent outcry on Twitter by a Dubai, United Arab Emirates-bound Nigerian, who alleged massive extortion of under 40 Nigerians travelling to the Gulf city. Idris also ordered: “the withdrawal” of the entire shift on duty at the time of the incident.
A statement on Friday by Kenneth Kure, a Chief Superintendent of Immigration at the Public Relations Unit, on behalf of the Comptroller-General, Isah Idris, indicated that 100 of its personnel working at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, were deployed out of the airport with immediate effect.
Idris noted that the conduct of the personnel grossly remained unbecoming and unacceptable as members of the service.
He said the decision was taken following the approval granted by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board.
The Chief Superintendent of Immigration was ordered to go on compulsory retirement and nine others were demoted.
The court “After exhaustive deliberations by the committees, eight personnel comprising one Chief Superintendent of Immigration, two Deputy Superintendents of Immigration, two Assistant Superintendents of Immigration II and three rank and file were summarily dismissed from the service.’’
Reacting to the development, a father of three whose two sons are studying in the United Kingdom, Monday Joseph, while applauding the immigration move, stated that he was the happiest man upon hearing the news.
He said, “My sons always have to travel with extra cash because immigration officers always extort money from them. The last time was a few months ago. I got so angry that if not for the amount I had paid as tuition, I would have stopped them from travelling together. I say kudos to the immigration leadership. I am so glad.”
Another traveller who spoke on condition of anonymity said that he was happy that at least he and other travellers could now travel without fear of being extorted.
Also, a traveller, Okeke Solomon, who claimed to have experienced extortion at the hands of immigration officers while travelling outside and returning to the country stated that the development was long overdue.
Solomon said, “The immigration needs to sack more erring officers so that the others will know that they are not above the law.’’
Punch