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Disquiet in NIS as CDCFIB promotes retired ACG to DCG
Disquiet in NIS as CDCFIB promotes retired ACG to DCG
By: Michael Mike
The promotion of Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Garba Bello, who retired in June, to Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, is causing disquiet in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Many senior officers, who were overlooked in the recent promotion exercise, faulted Bello’s promotion as illegal and vowed to petition President Bola Tinubu over his recall from retirement.
Bello with NIS number 10892, was born on June 3, 1964, enlisted in the service in 1990 and retired on June 3, 2024, having clocked 60 years.
This was in line with the Public Service Rules, which pegged the mandatory retirement age at 60 or 35 years in service, as the case may be.
As part of his retirement, the service management held a send-forth ceremony for the former ACG in charge of investigation at the NIS headquarters in Abuja.
However, in what appeared to be a violation of the Public Service Rules, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board listed Bello as one of the ACGs elevated to DCG.
Apart from Bello, other promoted ACGs include Anietum Essien, Umanah James, Micheal Dike, George Dikel, Tukur Umar, Afolayan Ayeni and Usman Nagado.
A letter with reference number, NIS/HQADM/4193/II/204 dated August 2, 2024, announced that Bello and seven others would be decorated with their DCG rank on Wednesday at the NIS headquarters.
The letter, titled, ‘Decoration of newly appointed Deputy Comptrollers General of Immigration,’ was signed by ACG Didel, on behalf of the Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI) Kemi Nandap.
It read, ‘’Further to letter ref: CDCFIB/APPT/CG&DCG/61/VOL.V/59 of July 29, 2024, on the forwarded list of newly appointed Deputy Comptrollers General of Immigration, I am directed to request your presence at the decoration ceremony of the under-listed senior officers scheduled to hold as follows:
‘’Date: Wednesday, 7th August, 2024; Venue: Muhammad Babandede Conference Centre, Service Headquarters, Abuja. Time: 11am prompt. Accord top priority, please.
It was further gathered that some junior officers were promoted over their seniors in the promotion exercise.
A look at the seniority list indicates that Didel, Umar and Ayeni were elevated above ACGs Sadiq Adebowale and Ngozi Odikpo, who are their senior in service.
While Didel, Umar and Ayeni were promoted to ACG in January 2023, Adebowale and Odikpo had been on the ACG rank since January 2022.
Commenting on Bello’s recall, a senior officer, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said, ‘’The Supreme Court had held that once a civil servant has retired, his employment with the government ends and he cannot be re-appointed or promoted within the civil service. Any subsequent engagement is treated as a new contract.
‘’In Federal Civil Service Commission vs Laoye, the court reiterated that promotions are part of career progression within active service and cannot apply to someone who has retired. So, the board cannot justify this illegality.’’
When asked why Bello was recalled from retirement and promoted, the NIS spokesman, Kenneth Udo, simply said, ‘’Because he wrote the (promotion) exams.’’
Asked to justify the decision, he said, ‘’But I am not part of the process. We have a board that handles promotion and the minister is the chairman. So, this enquiry should be directed to them.’’
But the Secretary to the CDCFIB, Ja’afaru Ahmed, could not be reached for comment on Monday as calls to his phone indicated it was unavailable. He had yet to respond to a text message seeking his comment on Bello’s recall and promotion.
Disquiet in NIS as CDCFIB promotes retired ACG to DCG
FCT police arrest 59 suspects in raid, investigate suicide in Lugbe
By: Zagazola Makama
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 59 suspects during coordinated raids across major black spots and criminal hideouts in Abuja.
Sources revealed that the raids were conducted late Saturday by operatives from Apo, Kubwa, Karu, Karmo, Life Camp, Maitama, Wuse, Mabushi, Nyanya, Jikwoyi, Zuba, and Tungan Maje Divisions.
The police said the operation targeted uncompleted buildings and identified criminal hideouts within the divisions’ areas of responsibility.
According to the sources, all suspects are currently undergoing screening and interrogation, and those found culpable will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
Meanwhile, the command is also investigating an alleged suicide involving a 20-year-old labourer identified as Alfred Habila, from Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Habila was reportedly found hanging in an uncompleted building behind River Park Estate, Lugbe, on Sunday morning.
A resident, Engr. Jatto Abdulkareem, told the police that he received a distress call from another resident, Joshua, who discovered the deceased’s body around 8 a.m.
Police operatives who visited the scene took photographs and conveyed the victim to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.
The corpse has been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary for autopsy and preservation, while investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing.
FCT police arrest 59 suspects in raid, investigate suicide in Lugbe
Security forces repel bandits’ attack in Sokoto community
By: Zagazola Makama
Security forces in Sokoto State have foiled an attempted attack by armed bandits on Mangwarori Kwandawa area of Isa town, Isa Local Government Area of the state.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that
heavily armed bandits invaded the community, shooting sporadically in an attempt to penetrate the town.
According to the sources , troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA army responded swiftly and engaged the bandits in a gun duel that lasted several minutes.
The superior firepower of the security forces forced the attackers to retreat into the nearby forest with gunshot wounds.
The sources added that four civilians sustained minor injuries from stray bullets during the exchange, while no casualties were recorded among security personnel.
Security operatives are currently conducting bush combing operations to trace the fleeing bandits, while adjoining divisions have been placed on alert to block possible escape routes.
Security forces repel bandits’ attack in Sokoto community
NSA, service chiefs meet over Trump’s directive on Nigeria
By: Zagazola Makama
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, is currently meeting with service chiefs and heads of security and intelligence agencies at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Abuja, following reports of a directive by U.S. President Donald Trump to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria.
A security source told Zagazola Makama that the emergency meeting, which began on Monday afternoon, is aimed at assessing the implications of Trump’s statement accusing the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militant groups.
Trump’s remarks, made late Saturday, alleged that the U.S. military was being prepared to “act in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militancy” a statement that has triggered widespread concern across diplomatic and security circles in Abuja.
According to the source, the NSA convened the session to coordinate a unified national security response and review intelligence assessments on the potential fallout of the U.S. president’s pronouncement.
Zagazola reports that Trump did not specify which killings he was referring to, though claims of a “genocide against Christians” in Nigeria have been circulating in some right-wing U.S. circles in recent months.
However, independent monitoring groups and analysts have noted that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of terrorism and banditry in the country, with no evidence of a targeted campaign against one faith.
The outcome of the meeting is expected to be communicated through official channels from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
NSA, service chiefs meet over Trump’s directive on Nigeria
FCT police arrest 59 suspects in raid, investigate suicide in Lugbe
Electoral officer rescued as one killed, others injured in Kontagora election violence
Security forces repel bandits’ attack in Sokoto community
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