By Ishaya Ibrahim
Acting News Editor
Sacked Comptroller General (CG) of Immigration, Martins Abeshi, may not be resting after all.
Some officers of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe him for allegedly collecting money from colleagues to post them abroad.
A report in TheNiche on April 17 had predicted Abeshi’s sack because he had been due for retirement in October 2015, having attained the age of 60 and exceeded 35 years in service.
A month later, May 17, a letter signed by Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Danbazau, directed Abeshi to proceed on retirement.
He was asked to hand over to Deputy Comptroller General, Mohammed Babandede, who will act as CG.
Deputy Comptroller Julius Adejo and Comptroller Adamu Yunusa petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari alleging that those posted abroad had a covenant with Abeshi to pay him their first allowance (about $20,000).
“When on these missions, the officers who have a minimum of four years to spend abroad receive allowances totaling about $20,000 (N3,981,000) monthly.
“These officers, who are eager to go on the foreign missions, bought their way into Abeshi’s list by going into a strong covenant with him,” the petitioners alleged.
They urged Buhari to investigate the allegation and stop the corruption in the NIS.
“The principle of Federal Character was flouted as most of the states of the federation were not considered while others are having more than 10 officers on the strength that their relatives are the controlling force in either the Ministry [of Interior] or the service.”
The petitioners also claimed to have evidence that the foreign postings released by the NIS include officers with disciplinary records with the EFCC.
“Surprisingly, it is disheartening to know that a sizeable number of those on the list released were just newly recruited into the service in December 2015.
“Officers who can hardly differentiate their left from their right; they are not yet acquainted with the nitty gritty of the service.”