Redeployed ‘powerful’ FAAN director protests ‘victimisation, illegality’

Salamatu Umar-Eluma, the former director of human resources at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), is accusing unnamed officials of the agency and the ministry of transportation of “victimisation” and “illegality” over her redeployment.

Umar-Eluma, who was regarded as the most powerful person at FAAN, is ready to protest to the “highest authorities” over her redeployment to Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in the same position, TheCable was informed at the weekend.

She is alleging that the posting was a breach of public service rules and an attempt to remove her from office “by any means possible”.

The director, TheCable was informed, is contending that according to the rules, an officer can only be redeployed to another agency under the conditions of secondment, transfer of service or resignation of a serving officer who wishes to be engaged by another government agency.

A letter dated August 18, 2017 from the federal ministry of transportation, Abuja, had said based on the directives of the aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, she should immediately proceed and resume at the AIB as director of human resources.

But she is contending that the establishment act of FAAN had not been amended to warrant the ministry’s “wrongful posting or deployment” of a pensionable, career officer to another independent entity.

She is also contending that the posting instruction “smacks of outright mischief and an attempt at broad day victimisation to enhance my sudden and premature removal from office through whatever means possible”, sources said.

She wants the posting declared ultra vires, null and void and of no effect, the sources further said.‎

Umar-Eluma was appointed an assistant general manager in FAAN in 2000 and later rose to director of human resources and administration in 2012.

She is said to be a close ally of Aisha Buhari, the president’s wife.

Sirika was not available for comments, but an official in the ministry, who declined being named because he was not authorised to comment on the issue,  said “it is a dead matter”, adding that no civil servant determines his or her posting “anywhere in the world”.

Umar-Eluma declined to talk to TheCable, explaining that civil service rules bar her from making media comments.