FG Directs Immigration CG to Hand over to Most Senior Officer

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government has directed the Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Idris Isah, whose tenure is expected to expire on April 24, to hand over the affairs of the Service to the most senior officer.

This directive is believed to have been given to placate those that are set to protest the alleged plotting by the incumbent CG to further extend his tenure.

The CG, who was due for retirement last year’s April 24, had got an extension for a year and is presently alleged to be plotting another one year extension.

But some concerned officers, who want to checkmate the alleged extension, had written to President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that it would lead to bad blood and indiscipline within the Service, and even threatened to come out in large numbers to protest the illegality.

Reacting to the development in a memo issued by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, dated 17th of April, 2023, and addressed to the NIS boss, the federal government directed him to “hand over to the most senior officer, the Deputy Comptroller General on or before Monday 24th April, 2023, pending Mr. President’s appointment of a substantive Comptroller General of the Service”.

The memo signed by the acting secretary to the Board, Obasi Edozie Edmund, reminded the outgoing CG of his one year tenure extension granted to him in 2022 by the president.