TheCable

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has taken punitive action against 26 personnel for engaging in corrupt practices.

In a statement released on Friday by Kenneth Kure, NIS spokesperson, eight personnel were said to be dismissed while 18 were sanctioned. 

Isah Idris, the comptroller general of immigration, said the personnel were sacked following the approval granted by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB).

He said the disciplinary action taken by the service was necessary following gross unbecoming and unacceptable acts by some members of the service.

“After exhaustive deliberations by the committees, eight personnel comprising one chief superintendent of immigration (CSI), two deputy superintendents of immigration (DSI), two assistant superintendents of immigration II (ASI2) and three rank and file were summarily dismissed from the service,” the statement reads.

“Furthermore, one other chief superintendent of immigration was ordered to proceed on compulsory retirement while nine other personnel were demoted in rank. 

“They include one assistant superintendent of immigration II (ASI2) who has been demoted to the rank of inspector of immigration, two inspectors who have been reduced in rank to assistant inspectors and six other junior personnel who have been ordered to lose their current ranks.

“Meanwhile, nine other personnel comprising one assistant superintendent of immigration II (ASI2) and eight junior personnel were issued warning letters just as six personnel were discharged and acquitted from all the allegations brought against them.”

According to the statement, Idris also approved the redeployment of 100 officers from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) with immediate effect while some others have been ordered to face disciplinary procedures to ascertain their level of involvements in some unprofessional conducts reported at the airport recently.

The development comes months after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) banned two immigration officials from working in any Nigerian airport after they extorted a 14-year-old girl at the Lagos airport.

Earlier in the year, 35 personnel were presented before the senior disciplinary committee (SDC) and orderly room trial (ORT) to ascertain their level of culpability in various allegations of offences ranging from employment racketeering, sharp practices, dishonest conducts, absent from duty without official leave (AWOL), among others.

The NIS urged the public to report any form of unprofessional practices by its personnel, adding that the service has zero tolerance for unethical conducts.