•Suspension letter details
It is highly unlikely that David Parradang, suspended Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), will return to his post because of a slew of allegations ranging from insubordination to tribalism to dodgy contract awards.
He may be as good as gone, despite the intervention of Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, who pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari on August 24 to reconsider the suspension of Parradang, a native of Plateau State.
Lalong confirmed that he was at the Villa to discuss the matter.
“Parradang’s case is still under investigation. A man was suspended and he is from Plateau State; it is my concern because I am the governor of the state.
“The president is handling it. At the end of the day, whatever is the outcome, I will agree with it, but I also need to get some explanations as the governor of the state,” Lalong said after he met Buhari three days after the suspension on August 21.
A source in the Interior Ministry insisted that Parradang’s departure is fait accompli.
His successor, Martin Abeshi, has been confirmed as substantive CG.
Sack letter
The letter of suspension, a copy of which was obtained by TheNiche, details the offences of Parradang, including the illegal recruitment of 1,600 officers into the NIS and his refusal to reverse it as directed by the Presidency.
The letter read in part: “I am directed to inform you that you have been found to have issued out letters of appointment of seven hundred (700) assistant inspectors of immigration and nine hundred (900) immigration assistants 111 into the Nigeria Immigration Service without approval; and you refused to take necessary measures to correct the wrongdoing despite repeated advice given to you as conveyed in letters Reference No. FMI/PSO/111/402 of 11th June, 2015 and Ref. No. FMI/001/111/411 of June 14, 2015.
“Having considered the above mentioned acts committed by you to mean deliberate disregard of the extant laws, insubordination to constituted authority and improper behavior inimical to the Service that is unbecoming of a public officer, I am to inform you that you have been suspended from office with immediate effect.
“While you await further instructions, you are to hand over the affairs of your office to the most senior officer in the Nigeria Immigration Service.”
The letter was signed by A.A. Ibrahim, a Director in the Interior Ministry.
APC connection
From the content of the letter, the investigation of the recruitment of 1,600 immigration officers in May was probably among the first matter Buhari treated when he became President on May 29.
The letter recalled that Parradang was first queried on June 11, less than two weeks after Buhari assumed office.
On April 26, a month to Buhari’s inauguration, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), sounded the alarm that the immigration recruitment was illegal, and that the incoming government would probe it.
A statement issued by APC National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, said: “There have been reports, not refuted, of a planned hurried recruitment into the [NIS], after a previous attempt ended in a national tragedy and the fleecing of innocent job seekers by mindless federal government officials.
“Apart from the fact that this last-minute recruitment is suspect, it is irregular. The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration, and Prisons Services Board are only empowered to recruit, promote and discipline senior officers (Levels 8 and above).
“The power to recruit, promote and discipline junior officers is vested in the different services, in this case the [NIS].
“Therefore, the recruitment exercise now being conducted by the federal civil service, under the auspices of the Presidential Committee to Assist on Immigration Recruitment, usurps the functions of the board as it relates to the recruitment of senior officers (Level 08) and that of the immigration service as it relates to junior officers (Levels 07 and below).”
Parradang’s offence was, therefore, not the recruitment of 1,600 immigration officers but that he ignored directive to reverse it.
Other offences
There is also a barrage of petitions against him by Immigration officers alleging highhandedness; registration of a private company to handle Immigration contracts; dismissing officers without proper orderly room trial; and favouritism in appointing officers for overseas postings.
It is alleged that most officers on such postings are from Benue (home state of former Interior Minister, Abba Moro) or Plateau (Parradang’s home state).
Parradang and Moro are also accused of enlisting a private courier company, GW Post, to allegedly fleece passport applicants of N2,000 under the guise of delivering passports to their homes.
The service is never rendered because passport applicants physically thumbprint at passport offices at the point of collection.
