Immigration stampede: FG sets up fresh recruitment committee

The Federal Government has set up a Presidential Committee to assist para-military agencies to conduct a fresh recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Immigration Service.

A statement issued on Wednesday night in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government theFederation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the committee had 12 weeks to conclude its assignment.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan approved the composition and mandate of the Special Presidential Committee to assist the Civil Defence, Fire Service, Immigration and Prisons Board to conduct a fresh exercise in place of the aborted recruitment into the NIS.

The committee’s terms of  reference include, liaising with the Civil Defence, Fire Service, Immigration and Prisons Board to confirm the actual number of personnel to be recruited; and assisting the agencies by re-advertising the recruitment into the NIS with a view to starting the recruitment process afresh.

The committee is also to assist the Civil Defence, Fire Service, Immigration and Prisons Board by processing the applications, short-listing potential candidates and conducting the necessary interviews for the purpose of the exercise.

Other terms of reference of the committee are to assist the Civil Defence, Fire Service, Immigration and Prisons Board by following all relevant laws, public service rules and guidelines, to determine successful applicants and announce their appointment into the NIS. The committee is also to ensure that three family members of each deceased applicant from the aborted exercise, at least one of whom should be a female, are given immediate and automatic employment in the NIS; and ensuring that all those injured during the aborted exercise, are given immediate and automatic employment in the NIS.

The SGF named the chairman, as Federal Civil Service Commission-Chairman. Other members include Comptroller General, NIS; representative of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation; representative of the Commandant General; representative of the Comptroller, Prison Service; representative of the Corp Marshal, FRSC; representative of the Director General, DSS; and the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, who will serve as the secretary.

It will be recalled that the aborted exercise conducted in various venues across the country on March 15 led to stampedes  that caused the death of 20 job seekers.

This generated a national protest with Nigerians calling for the  sacking of the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro.