Succession crisis hits NIS as CGI, Adepoju plot to retire 27 senior officers

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

There is rising tension among officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) following the alleged plot by the outgoing.

Comptroller General Caroline Adepoju to install her choice of a 2022 Comptroller promoted to ACG in 2023 in one year without interview to retire her seniors in the service at the expiration of her extended tenure on the 28th of February 2024.

Adepoju who was to have retired on May 31, 2023, got two questionable clandestine extensions and will be retiring on February 28, 2024.

The succession plot, according to sources at the NIS headquarters, is allegedly backed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo and without due regard to the Nigerian Immigration Service rules.

Investigations revealed that the outgoing Comptroller General, Adepoju is plotting to install one Adeola Adesokan who was recently promoted to the rank of Comptroller in 2022 and a quick fix promotion to Assistant Comptroller General in 2023, by the Minister of Interior,  Ojo in a questionable manner.

Consequently, if the plot scales through, eight Assistant Controller Generals serving at the service eight zonal offices across Nigeria 12 at the service headquarters and seven Deputy Comptroller Generals a total of 27 senior and experienced officers not due for retirement will be prematurely retired.

Sources within the NIS circles that the top echelon of the Service is sitting on a keg of gunpowder due to the continuous disregard for service rules and the constitution of the country.

It was pointed out that the purported successor being sponsored by the outgoing Comptroller General and the Minister of Interior, is considered incompetent and would further put a wedge in the service.

They also pointed out that the outgoing Comptroller General, whose extension ends on February 28, 2024, after the actual retirement of  May 31, 2023, has served 35 years and has gotten two extensions.

“Since she got confirmed, she stopped doing her executive assignment, rather travels all round lobbying for extension, on discovering she has exhausted her tenure she is trying to impose an incompetent junior officer on her seniors.”

“A total of 27 senior, experienced officers not due for retirement will be prematurely retired for an incompetent junior comptroller promoted to Assistant Comptroller General under one year what a disaster waiting to happen.” a source lamented.

“It was also learnt that top Senators and members of the National Assembly have been notified of the development and are keenly watching, “Mr. President should also intervene to remove the Minister and not extend the present Comptroller General tenure ending on February 28, 2024. Nigerians are watching.” the source said.