Lalong meets Buhari over Parradang

Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau state, on Monday met President Muhammadu Buhari over last week’s suspension of David Parradang as comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

On Friday, Parradang was directed to immediately proceed on suspension while Martin Abeshi, the service’s deputy comptroller-general, was to take over.

Paradang was seen in the presidential villa in company with the governor.

Lalong, who briefed state house correspondents after a closed-door meeting with Buhari, said that although investigations into the issues that led to the suspension of the immigration boss had commenced, it was necessary for him to show concern.

“I came to see the president on some issues affecting my state,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“These include the prevailing issue of the suspension of the comptroller-general of immigration, who incidentally is from my state. When you have issues like this in a political period, you must find ways of looking for reasons and possible solution.

“If anything affects any part of your body, you must show concern. Paradang’s case is still under investigation. A man was suspended and he is from Plateau, it is my concern because I am the governor of the state.

“For every appointment, we must show concern no matter how small. 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 explanation, as the governor of the state.

“I feel comfortable with the response I got and that is why I am smiling. I told him what we are doing on insecurity in our state.”

On insecurity in the state, the governor said that he set up a 13-man peace committee to address the problem of the communal crisis in the state.

He said that the measures put in place by the state government to arrest social unrest in the state had started yielding results, as trouble makers were being apprehended by relevant security agencies.

“We still have cases of cattle rustling and farm destruction going on in the southern part,” he said. “But, in the last one week, we have taken very good measures and security agencies are working very well in terms of arrest.”