An illegal recruitment of 300 personnel is alleged to have been perpetrated by the top management officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Punch Newspapers reports that the personnel were employed into the NIS, in December 2015, on inspector cadre (levels 1-8).

The employed personnel were reportedly placed on various ranks, including Inspector, Assistant Inspector, Immigration Assistant and Chief Immigration Assistant.

The report also stated that the beneficiaries of the illegal recruitment have already been enrolled in the NIS payroll, having been paid their January salaries.

A source was quoted to have said: “The personnel were engaged during the Christmas holidays but no letter of appointment was given out, apparently to prevent the secret recruitment from being leaked. They called it replacement, which is another name for illegal recruitment.”

“The 300 slots were shared among the top management team from the ACGs upwards. Some got two slots, some got six, depending on your rank.”

“The names of their preferred candidates or applicants were submitted along with their account details and they were placed on levels 1-8. They have been paid their January salaries, as we speak.”

President Muhammadu Buhari suspended the former Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Services, David Parradang, on Friday, August 21, 2015.

Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Interior, Yusuf Isiaka Alhaji, had subsequently announced his replacement as Martins Kure Abeshi.

Parradang, who was recently invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, is being investigated for his role in the calamitous 2014 immigration recruitment exercise.

Janeth J