Nigerian Immigration Service Boss, Shared Job Slots Among Government Officials

The Federal Government has directed the Controller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service, Mrs. Rose Uzoma, to proceed on her pre-retirement accumulated leave.

The CG was asked to hand over the duties and responsibilities of her office on January 16, (today) to the most senior Deputy Comptroller General of Immigration, Rilwan Musa.

Musa, will act as Comptroller-General of Immigration pending the appointment of a substantive CG.

A statement by the Secretary, Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Service Board, Dr. R. Attahiru, on Tuesday said President Goodluck Jonathan had approved Uzoma’s terminal leave.

The President had on July 30, 2010, approved Uzoma’s appointment, making her the 12th head of NIS and the second female to occupy the office.

She assumed office on August 2, 2010 following her decoration by the then Minister of Interior, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho (rtd.).

Uzoma’s tenure was enmeshed in controversy over alleged favouritism in recruitment, in which she was said to have favoured her kinsmen from the South-East.

She was alleged to have offered hundreds of job slots to top government functionaries, including the Presidency which was offered 250 slots; Jonathan’s mother 40 slots; First Lady 100 slots; Interior Minister Abba Moro 100 slots; two commissioners of the Immigration board 30 slots each, and the Federal Character Commission 250 slots.

The CG was also reported to have obtained approval from the Head of Service of the Federation to employ 4,560 people into the NIS out of which she allegedly offered slots to top functionaries.

A House of Representatives committee, which investigated the job racketeering, reportedly asked her to provide details of the distribution of the Immigration work force based on state of origin.

The committee was said to have found out that of over 25,000 Immigration officials, Uzoma husband’s state of origin, Imo has the highest number with 1,190; Kano State 350; Lagos State 400; while Sokoto State had the least with 200 slots.

Source: Punch Nigeria