Major Crisis Rocks Nigerian Immigration Service

• Over Plans To Extend Acting CG’s Tenure For Another 6 Months

• As Stakeholders Oppose The Move

Who will President Bola Tinubu make the next Comptroller General of the Immigration Service?

That is the big question many immigration top shots are asking. This has led to rumblings at the Immigration Service. This is because the term of the acting Comptroller General, Adepoju Wura-Ola will end this month, August 2023. And there are strong indications that an extension for another 6 months is imminent.

 

Recall that when President Bola Tinubu came in May 2023, she was given 3 months to act which will expire in August.

 

But now, there are strong indications that she wants it extended for another 6 months. This does not sit well with the top echelon of the Immigration Service.

 

What makes the situation even more critical is the fact that she has officially retired from the Immigration Service and the Immigration Act does not allow retired personnel to head the service.

 

“Wura was logged out of the system since 30th May,” revealed a source.

There are also those who read political meanings into it in May when she was made acting CG. There were those who wondered why Pres.  Tinubu will retain Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s supporters in such a powerful position despite the fact that Aregbesola is not in support of Tinubu’s emergence as President. Recall that Aregbesola was the immediate past Minister of Interior and the Immigration Service was one of the parastatals under him.

 

Newsonline Nigeria gathered that Adepoju Caroline Wura-Ola retired on the 30th of May, 2023 and Aregbesola gave instructions to the former CG Jere to hand over to Wura. Jere handed over to Wuraola Caroline Adepoju on the 30th of May based on Aregbesola’s directive.

 

Many top Officers see this as wrong. Why continue to use a retired person when there are competent staff? So, the staff of the Immigration Service are clamouring for her to be replaced, instead of the Tinubu government extending her stay, since she has retired from service. They argue that there are very competent Senior Officers who can take over the running of the Immigration Service from the current acting Controller General. They argue that Wura be made to hand over to the most senior DCG.

 

There are also those who have called to question the way and manner she has been running the Immigration Service since she took over 2 months ago in an acting capacity. Revealed an insider, she has forgotten that the Nigeria Immigration Service is a paramilitary outfit that has its norms and traditions.

 

They also feel her recent interviews in the media have been below expectations. For instance, there was her recent interview with Channels TV on NIS. New Operation, Management in which the acting Nigerian Immigration Service CG spoke on the challenges surrounding passport issuance, operations. Also, many NIS officials didn’t like her comments on the JAPA syndrome when she was quoted as having urged Nigerians wishing to relocate abroad to take the regular route. She gave this advice while declaring open the 2023 Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Nationwide Sensitization and Enlightenment Campaign at the service headquarters in Abuja in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the NIS. We know that many people want to go abroad seeking greener pastures. It is not bad but these journeys must be safe, must be orderly and must be regulated.”

 

When she was appointed in May, Amb. Haruna Hussaini Coomasie faulted the appointment of DCG Adepoju Wuraola. “Tinubu did not appoint any immigration head, the Board did,” he explained. “Jere was on acting capacity. He left on 29th May, now you are appointing a CG that is retiring tomorrow 31st. It is a regimental agency. She has 24 hours to go with the intention of extending her slay.”

“Immigration is a professional outfit, a regimental agency on a professional platform. That has been the problem of immigration.”

“Nobody should impose anyone on the service. This is the 3rd woman. We need professionalism.”

He is against the circumstances. He quarrelled with Aregbesola for what he did as Minister for Interior. He criticised Aregbesola’s policy of taking over the fast track. He advised that Tinubu should not dance to Aregbesola’s dictates.

 

“Let the next in the hierarchy take over. Let the most senior take over. Select a competent, head to take over.”

 

When she was appointed in May, a legal practitioner also called for action, over what he called the Unlawful Appointment of a retired Officer as acting Comptroller General of Immigration.

 

He described the appointment of Adepoju Caroline Wura-Ola as illegal, citing section 8 of the Public Service Rule.

Maxwell Opara reminded President Tinubu that the Board lacks the authority to extend the retirement age or appoint a retiree as an acting Comptroller-General.

 

In a strongly worded letter addressed to Pres. Tinubu, Maxwell Opara who is a legal practitioner and human right activist, raised concerns over the unlawful appointment of Wura-Ola, who is a retired Deputy Comptroller General, as the acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

 

He said her appointment as the acting CG after her retirement on the 31st day of May 2023, created an ugly, unlawful, illegal, immoral and demoralising situation within the (NIS). Opara asserts that Wura-Ola having reached the mandatory retirement age on 31st May 2023 should have retired from the NIS. He alleged that however the Board of Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Service illegally appointed her to the position of acting Comptroller-General through a Memo dated 26th May 2023. Opara emphasized that this appointment contradicts President Tinubu’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.

 

Expressing concern for the negative impact on the morale and reputation of the service, Opara urged Pres. Tinubu to take immediate action by appointing a qualified serving officer of the NIS as the Comptroller-General.

 

Recall that Adepoju Caroline Wura-Ola’s appointment caused a big uproar 2 months ago. Many kicked at how Aregbesola appointed the retired female DCG as Immigration boss, days to Buhari’s handover. Caroline Wura-Ola was due for retirement after attaining the mandatory 35 years in service at the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). She was said to have been appointed by the immediate past Minister of Interior, Raug Aregbesola before the latter left office as a member of the Federal Executive Council.

 

Newsonline Nigeria gathered that Caroline Wura-Ola was born on 13th July 1963 and was employed in the service on 31st May 1988 and so was due for retirement on 31st May 2023.

 

But the federal government, through the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire & Immigration Services Board, had announced her appointment as the acting CP. In a statement dated 26th May 2023, the statement signed by the recently appointed Secretary to the Board, Ja’afaru Ahmed said the appointment took effect from Tuesday, 30th May, 2023.

 

The statement reads: “I write to convey the approval of the Chairman of the Board for you to cover duties of the office of the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as the most Senior Deputy Comptroller General (DCG)”.

 

“You are enjoined to bring to bear your wealth of experience on the job as well as consolidate on the ongoing transformation of the service.”