Immigration CG withdraws foreign postings of 80 officers over ‘procedural issues’

No fewer than 80 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have had their postings to foreign countries withdrawn by Kemi Nandap, new comptroller-general (CG) of the service.

The officers had been posted to a slew of Nigerian missions abroad by Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, who recently retired as CG of the service.

They were to remain at these new stations abroad for at least three years.

However, in a letter dated March 5 and seen by TheCable on Thursday, Nandap, through G.C Didel, assistant comptroller-general, asked the officers to return their original posting letters to “effect certain procedural and administrative issues”.

“I am directed to request all officers affected to return their original posting orders to enable the service effect certain procedural and administrative issues,” the letter reads.

“The letters should be returned to the SA-CGIS (Foreign Desk) on or before Thursday 9th March, 2024.

“You are to ensure strict compliance.”

Sources said Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, was unhappy with the posting list drawn up by the immediate-past CG, complaining that he was not carried along in the process.

Upon Adepoju’s retirement, moves to replace the posted officers began.

Some of the affected officers who narrated their plight to TheCable, said the withdrawal letters arrived just weeks after they were officially informed of their postings.

The officers who said they had been warned not to speak with the press on the development, said they had all received three weeks training at the NIS headquarters in Abuja, and received their “posting order (letter)” since January 8, 2024.

TheCable understands that some of the officers had already been paid for the trip before Adepoju retired as CG.

“We’re shocked and devastated by the development and some of us have been hospitalised,” one of the officers said.

“You can imagine something you had planned for and informed your family and suddenly you’re told it will not happen again.”

Tunji-Ojo and Nandap were not immediately available for reactions to this story.