The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the dismissal of eight of its personnel from service. It also sanctioned 18 others for various offences.
The Nation learnt that their offences ranged from indiscipline to employment racketeering, sabotage and other forms of corrupt practices.
The NIS has come under spotlight over the conducts of its personnel especially at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) in Lagos.
It was learnt that no fewer than 100 of the organisation’s officers and men attached to the MMIA have been redeployed to other units and departments, pending the determination of a recent allegations of bribery and misconduct against them.
A statement iby Kenneth Kure, a Chief Superintendent of Immigration at the Public Relations Unit of the NIS headquarters, Abuja, said the disciplinary actions taken against the affected persons got the approval of the Board.
He said the decision was taken following the approval granted by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB).
He said the Board observed that, “the conducts of the personnel have remained grossly unbecoming and unacceptable as members of the Service.”
The statement noted that the dismissal of the eight concerned officers followed due process and laid down procedures backed by the law governing the agency.
According to him, a total of 35 personnel had earlier been presented before 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 six (6) other junior personnel who have been ordered to lose their current ranks,” he said.
