August 16, 2017 Abuja, Nigeria – Impunity and Depravity in the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Exactly one year of uncertainty about the fate of 2000 officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service recruited in 2015 popularly known as “NIS2000”, the President gave an order that the 2000 officers be recalled. To that effect, on August 11, 2016 the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Service Board (CDFIPB) of the Ministry of Interior, charged with this responsibility had an emergency meeting, and then initiated a new approach to our reinstatement called “rescreening”. A publication was made to that effect where there was a time table for rescreening. The rescreening was scheduled from 29th August 2016 to 5th September 2016.
At the rescreening, we were assured that it was just to verify the results we used in getting the job, and as far as we are not above the age limit for each cadre, we had nothing to worry about. The screening criteria were verification of results, medical fitness, drug test and the CDFIPB implementation of the “Age on Rank”. It had in attendance 1,470 Officers and men according to statistics. Surprisingly, the practical screening covered results verification, physical check and blood pressure check. At the end of the exercise, our expectation was positive, based on the assurance we got from the CGI.

In October 2016, there was a Newspaper publication bearing the names of “Successful Applicants”. Out of the 1,470 Officers who availed themselves to be rescreened, 888 Officers were selected leaving out 582 Officers. The publication had a lot of irregularities such as a deceased officer making the list, repetition of names, and absentees making the list, amongst others. We reacted to the errors on the list, and in the course of correcting those errors, more errors were made which included removal of names of a few more that initially was termed successful, on the first list.
We probed further to know why such a large number of officers were dropped, and we never got answers except for some hearsays that we had forged certificates, medical history, etc. We challenged via social media that there should be a publication showing the names of those who had forged certificate and stating exactly the model used in grading the rescreening exercise. Here we are, ten months after with the same uncertainty. We have so many unanswered questions lingering on our minds: where did we go wrong? How come a deceased and some absentees made the list? Why hasn’t NIS told us the original reason for being disqualified? These amongst others are the question on our minds.

But, following the press briefing by the CGI Mohammad Babandede on our reinstatement, he said all officers and men who made appearance for rescreening and meets the set criteria will be reinstated, of which many of the 582 Officers and Men qualified; should be rest assured of reinstatement. On a private finding from an officer in the appointment and promotion unit, he said, other undisclosed criteria were introduced to reduce the number of officers due to budget. Only to see an advertisement of vacancy in the Nigeria Immigration Service on May 22, 2017.
It’s the height of impunity in government that the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service will go against orders from the President to reinstate the 2000 officers and Men recruited in 2015, and will want to recruit new officers in their stead.

Whether or not the recruitment in 2015 was irregular, is no longer the issue. Due process for recruitment according to the Civil Service code was followed to the latter. We had worked officially for three months from assumption of duty on May 25, 2015 to an unlawful disperse on August 20, 2015 by a nationwide memo.

But we were recruited like every other Officer and Men of the service. We reported at every order, on our own expense, firstly to various Immigration Training School at Kano State, Rivers State, and Imo State to collect our appointment letters and posting orders, and secondly, to our various Commands, and then to the Immigration Headquarters for rescreening and others. All these were obeyed without pay…and then to be dispersed with irregularities in the rescreening process, after months of waiting?

A recall from CGI Martin Abeshi’s in his response said that the original reason for the dispersal was that the salaries of the 2000 Officers and Men recruited in 2015 were not included in the 2015 Budget allocation. His claim was not in the irregularities of our recruitment, but the unavailability of funds.
On January 16, 2017 we filed a petition to the Secretary General of the Federation regarding our situation of injustice, only to receive a no-response from the Secretary General of the Federation. Prior to filing the petition, countless times have we visited the NIS headquarters for reasons, and a review of the “rescreening”. We are yet to receive any response from them.

Since the Legislative and Executive order have been unreliable, judicial steps have been taken through The National Industrial Court in Abuja on August 1, 2017 suing The Nigerian Immigration Service for the following :

PRINCIPAL RELIEFS:

a. A declaration that the defendants action of 25th August 2015 dispersing the claimants from their various duty post stations and places of employment was unconscionable unjustifiable and unwarranted interruption of claimants legitimate employment and did not amount to lawful termination of employment thereof.

b. A declaration that the claimants said employment (severally and jointly) with defendant are still valid and subsisting same having not been justifiably and lawfully terminated.

c. An order of Court immediately reinstating the claimants (severally and jointly) to their employment with defendant with the compliments of full entitlements of arrears of salary, promotion, increment, progression and all other emoluments as may be due or have accrued to them from date of employment (24th May, 2015) up to the eventual date of resumption of duties and beyond.

c. Substantial legal cost including cost of action at the sum of N3Million.

IN THE ALTERNATIVE :

a. A declaration that the defendants action of 25th August, 2015 dispersing claimants from their employment duty posts stations offices tantamount to an unconscionable unjustifiable and unlawful interruption and subsequent frustration of claimants legitimate employment with defendant.

b. An order of Court for the immediate payment of claimants 3 months unpaid salary arrears (for the months of May- August 2015 worked for and unpaid).

c. An order of Court for the immediate payment of the equivalent of one months salary in lieu of notice to terminate employment.

d. An award of 10% interest per annum on salary arrears and 1 month salary in-lieu of notice with effect 1st September 2015 until final judgment.

e. A written letter of apology to each claimant for the maltreatment, pain, suffering, frustration and hardship caused by defendant’s unconscionable and unlawful conduct.

f. An award of the sum of N2Million to each claimant in aggravated damages.

g. An award of the sum of N3Million to each claimant in exemplary damages.

h. The sum of N3Million in legal cost expenses and fees.

i. An award of 10% interest per annum on judgement sum until final execution of liquidation of judgement sum.

And we trust the system to do justice and uphold the Legislative and Presidential Order of our reinstatement.
We are choice Nigerians. The future of this country depends on our ability to sustain justice and equity. We will not watch our place taken. It’s an aberration to politicise the lives and dignity of the Nigerian citizens. We are not going to give up until justice is served. And we believe in this government for equity.

Sign.
ASI Galadima Samson
ASI Cornelius Okafor
AII Charles Otaka
IA3 Faith Azizi
IA3 Musa Haruna

Cc
@ Lalasticlala
@ mynd44
@ JideSM
@ tayoccu

Please do the needful

A reasonable and sincere govt. recruited these young boys and girls, issued them appointment letters and service numbers, trained them for 3 months(without pay), and then a wicked and amoral govt. turn to sack them?

First recruitment by Nigerian paramilitary service wherein applicants were tested based on CBT. Very credible and fair recruitment exercise at that.

That legal step, God willing, will serve them well.

You better recall those young boys and girls. Wish you guys goodluck

NoblePrince91:
A reasonable and sincere govt. recruited these young boys and girls, issued them appointment letters and service numbers, trained them for 3 months(without pay), and then a wicked and amoral govt. turn to sack them?

First recruitment by Nigerian paramilitary service wherein applicants were tested based on CBT. Very credible and fair recruitment exercise at that.

That legal step, God willing, will serve them well.

You better recall those young boys and girls. Wish you guys goodluck

There is no going back. justice must be served

That's the spirit! God won't let you guys down. I wish i could help in any way. A govt. of change translated into govt. of shame.

Funny enough, the government isn't just incompetent and insensitive, but it's even the more, astonishingly SHAMELESS.

You promised to create jobs for young people. Now, you are sacking and replacing with your cronies and wards.

You guys should just remain committed, i see you people rewriting history. Corrupt as our judicial system allegedly is, i believe no JUDGE will preside over this kind of case and rule in the contrary.
YOU GUYS WILL WIN, BIG TIME!
CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

What a very good move, they thought they had suppressed ur voices, they thought they had rendered u guys powerless by dividing u into fractions, they thought ur voices would never be heard again, but thank God u guy are really giving it to them big time, i pray our judiciary do the right thing, by giving the right judgment & ordering ur immediate reinstatement asap, because the injustice meted to u guys is just too glaring... i wish u guys victory, & i do salute ur relentless efforts in keeping these monsters called ogas at d top on their toes... God bless u guys & may He turn ur sorrows to joy

God is there for us. justice must be done

omochelsea004:
What a very good move, they thought they had suppressed ur voices, they thought they had rendered u guys powerless by dividing u into fractions, they thought ur voices would never be heard again, but thank God u guy are really giving it to them big time, i pray our judiciary do the right thing, by giving the right judgment & ordering ur immediate reinstatement asap, because the injustice meted to u guys is just too glaring... i wish u guys victory, & i do salute ur relentless efforts in keeping these monsters called ogas at d top on their toes... God bless u guys & may He turn ur sorrows to joy

Yes, It's high time they take we, the helpless and unemployed young people for granted. Enough is Enough. In Charly boy's voice "Our mumu don do".

It's quite unfair for the youths of this country to suffer this grave injustice in their homeland. Justice must be served and in full.

NoblePrince91:
Yes, It's high time they take we, the helpless and unemployed young people for granted. Enough is Enough. In Charly boy's voice "Our mumu don do".

God bless you. They should stop preying on we the masses. These people have spent the little they had, and even borrowed more to keep this job. The government should just reinstate them.

I believe the only sin they committed was being ordinary citizens with no strong connection(godfather) who have refused to be recruited through the back door(paying for slots). It goes without saying that, we have lost it in this nation. Blatant disregard to the rule of law. Whatever happened to honour, conscience and good will.

Let justice be served.

The government should wake up and resolve this lingering issue. The complainants are loosing patience. The so called new recruitment should be suspended until justice is served

I wonder what kind of government is this. How can u recruit able youths & sack them? What about the training the went through You don't want them to use it illegallay do you? Cuz i smell something realy BAD!!!

God will surely pay u back my fellow youths, keep the hope alive.

@lalasticlala abeg nobody needs to tell u to FP this post. Government must surely pay them oooo...

@lalasticlala please push this post to FP

Jobs Racketeering

huxxain:
@lalasticlala abeg nobody needs to tell u to FP this post. Government must surely pay them oooo...

@Lalasticlala why this thing never enter front page nah?

Could this be the reason why the 2017 recruitment is in a halt?.

The worst part is, the government does something this despicable and then you want them to keep quiet and not express their displeasure. Nigeria military to begin to monitor social media. Now you take away people's jobs in the most egregious fashion, why wont there be hate speech. Do you expect the masses to say thank you when you leave them in the lurch.

huxxain:
@lalasticlala abeg nobody needs to tell u to FP this post. Government must surely pay them oooo...

@lalasticlala why this thing never go front page nah?

omochelsea004:
@lalasticlala why this thing never go front page nah?

if na snake or bush meat thread now, lala go don rush push am to front page, but a thread like this that need more awareness, that suppose to be put in circulation to make the injustice meted out to this young Nigerian youth addressed by the appropriate authority won't be found worthy of front page...

Pple acting as if its a must for the govt to give them job. Make una no go find job for una sef.

If you pple really want to fight injustice. Start from the 1k paid that we hvnt heard anything.

Then go down to the initially criteria for Bsc that said 2nd class upper but I saw 2.2 and 3rd class getting the job.

Then also go down to that initial screening that produced that 2000 officer, in your right sense, was that sham screening? No questions were asked, just reluctantly check documents and height, then they produced 2000 officers.

Everybody knows that the Jonathan administration just rushed that recruitment to conclude everything about it before they go, I have not seen a govt recruitment so quick like that one. In my opinion that recruitment is supposed to be cancelled outrightly.

However, in other not to be termed a bad govt, they opted out for rescreening which to me was d best idea, have you asked why the entire 2000 officers did not show up, it was another irregularities in that same recruitment, we point out then the repetition of names but pple that were beneficiaries of that sham recruitment said it was the best and transparent recruitment so far.

You pple believing that after rescreening, you all will till make it, don't know the meaning of screening after all. If they wanted all to make it, they will just absorb all without screening.

My advice to those affected is that, in as much as I feel very sorry for what happened, channel these efforts to other endeavours. Nis is not the only govt agency in Nigeria, govt is not the only employer of Labour. Furthermore, your employer can sack you whenever, he or she deems it necessary. Whether una train or not.

If you are championing the irregularities, start from the beginning, demand for the outright cancellation of everything and champion a fresh start .

All I see in all these protest is selfishness. because if these pple petitioning were favored. No one would have heard their voice.

ejiykzazi2007:
Pple acting as if its a must for the govt to give them job. Make una no go find job for una sef.

If you pple really want to fight injustice. Start from the 1k paid that we hvnt heard anything.

Then go down to the initially criteria for Bsc that said 2nd class upper but I saw 2.2 and 3rd class getting the job.

Then also go down to that initial screening that produced that 2000 officer, in your right sense, was that sham screening? No questions were asked, just reluctantly check documents and height, then they produced 2000 officers.

Everybody knows that the Jonathan administration just rushed that recruitment to conclude everything about it before they go, I have not seen a govt recruitment so quick like that one. In my opinion that recruitment is supposed to be cancelled outrightly.

However, in other not to be termed a bad govt, they opted out for rescreening which to me was d best idea, have you asked why the entire 2000 officers did not show up, it was another irregularities in that same recruitment, we point out then the repetition of names but pple that were beneficiaries of that sham recruitment said it was the best and transparent recruitment so far.

You pple believing that after rescreening, you all will till make it, don't know the meaning of screening after all. If they wanted all to make it, they will just absorb all without screening.

My advice to those affected is that, in as much as I feel very sorry for what happened, channel these efforts to other endeavours. Nis is not the only govt agency in Nigeria, govt is not the only employer of Labour. Furthermore, your employer can sack you whenever, he or she deems it necessary. Whether una train or not.

If you are championing the irregularities, start from the beginning, demand for the outright cancellation of everything and champion a fresh start .

All I see in all these protest is selfishness. because if these pple petitioning were favored. No one would have heard their voice.

u will never know what this young Nigerian youth passed through in the process, that is why u are here running ur mouth as if u don't know how it is going in Naija politics, pple like u will always celebrate & encourage injustice & nepotism, u will knw the truth but choose to turn blind eyes, well... i won't be surprised if u are saying all that due to the fact that maybe you or ur relatives also tried it but none were lucky enough to be appointed

ejiykzazi2007:
Pple acting as if its a must for the govt to give them job. Make una no go find job for una sef.

If you pple really want to fight injustice. Start from the 1k paid that we hvnt heard anything.

Then go down to the initially criteria for Bsc that said 2nd class upper but I saw 2.2 and 3rd class getting the job.

Then also go down to that initial screening that produced that 2000 officer, in your right sense, was that sham screening? No questions were asked, just reluctantly check documents and height, then they produced 2000 officers.

Everybody knows that the Jonathan administration just rushed that recruitment to conclude everything about it before they go, I have not seen a govt recruitment so quick like that one. In my opinion that recruitment is supposed to be cancelled outrightly.

However, in other not to be termed a bad govt, they opted out for rescreening which to me was d best idea, have you asked why the entire 2000 officers did not show up, it was another irregularities in that same recruitment, we point out then the repetition of names but pple that were beneficiaries of that sham recruitment said it was the best and transparent recruitment so far.

You pple believing that after rescreening, you all will till make it, don't know the meaning of screening after all. If they wanted all to make it, they will just absorb all without screening.

My advice to those affected is that, in as much as I feel very sorry for what happened, channel these efforts to other endeavours. Nis is not the only govt agency in Nigeria, govt is not the only employer of Labour. Furthermore, your employer can sack you whenever, he or she deems it necessary. Whether una train or not.

If you are championing the irregularities, start from the beginning, demand for the outright cancellation of everything and champion a fresh start .

All I see in all these protest is selfishness. because if these pple petitioning were favored. No one would have heard their voice.

Your comment only goes to show how frustrated and shallow in reasoning that you are. What you and I and every other well-meaning youths out there should do should be to encourage and stand by these lads because if we don't fight this injustice now, it will continue while jobs such as NpowerNG will be reserved for the ordinary youth.
Be wise for once!
Shalom

FixNaija:


Your comment only goes to show how frustrated and shallow in reasoning that you are. What you and I and every other well-meaning youths out there should do should be to encourage and stand by these lads because if we don't fight this injustice now, it will continue while jobs such as NpowerNG will be reserved for the ordinary youth.
Be wise for once!
Shalom

I just have one question to ask. If you were among those selected, would you have said anything? Answer honestly... One thing with Nigerians is their inability to be objective. They only fight for things that will favour them.

omochelsea004:
u will never know what this young Nigerian youth passed through in the process, that is why u are here running ur mouth as if u don't know how it is going in Naija politics, pple like u will always celebrate & encourage injustice & nepotism, u will knw the truth but choose to turn blind eyes, well... i won't be surprised if u are saying all that due to the fact that maybe you or ur relatives also tried it but none were lucky enough to be appointed

I have a gud paying job bro. Look at that recruitment process objectively, was it fair. I have a 2.1 in one of the courses advertised for the job, but I have someone from thesame place, attended thesame school that study a course that was not among the ones listed as criteria, not even close and graduated with 3rd class, buy got that job then. Now tell me the criteria used for such person. I am not hating but point out a fact.

It was obvious the only criteria used then was connection and luck. Complaints were made then but u didn't say anything because u were a beneficiary, when the coin were turned, u are now here crying foul, go and sleep my friend.

When fighting injustice, fight it with objectivity, whether the said course favors u or not.

I don't insult, I present facts...

Our youths get frustrated when they hope for the federal government alone for job/employment opportunities...

Be wise to know that when a door closes, look for the other door that's open.

Don't be forcing to open a close door that will never open again!

ejiykzazi2007:

I have a gud paying job bro. Look at that recruitment process objectively, was it fair. I have a 2.1 in one of the courses advertised for the job, but I have someone from thesame place, attended thesame school that study a course that was not among the ones listed as criteria, not even close and graduated with 3rd class, buy got that job then. Now tell me the criteria used for such person. I am not hating but point out a fact.

It was obvious the only criteria used then was connection and luck. Complaints were made then but u didn't say anything because u were a beneficiary, when the coin were turned, u are now here crying foul, go and sleep my friend.

When fighting injustice, fight it with objectivity, whether the said course favors u or not.

I don't insult, I present facts...

i thought as much, ur rants up there says it all