 | |||
Abdulrasheed Bawa, EFCC Chairman
A Group under the aegis of Coalition of Pro-democracy Groups in Nigeria have sent a petition against the leadership of Idris Isah Jere at the Nigerian Immigration Service to the Code of Conduct Bureau, National Security Adviser, EFCC and DSS.
In the petition titled ”PETITION ON BRIBERY, PEJURY, FALSE DOCUMENTATION, IRREGULARITIES AND BREACH OF PUBLIC SERVICE RULES AGAINST COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF NIGERIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICE MR. IDRIS JERE AND DEPUTY COMPTROLLER GENERAL MODUPE ANYALECHI” which contains a catalogue of allegations of corrupt practices that bother on passport racketeering and fraudulent collections of statutory payment for passports at the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Group pleaded for maximum and thorough investigation of the NIS.
Specifically, according to the aggrieved group, ”The tenure of Idris Isah Jere as CG at NIS has been characterized by illegal collection of international passport issuance fees, racketeering and other sundry malpractices. Unfortunately, no action from him in order to curb the menace. Series of complaints were made by Nigerians in Diaspora especially in the following cities Barcelona, Almeria, Alicante, Murcia Burgos e.t.c in Spain against collection of cash and payment for passport fees to illegal accounts instead of making remittance to the official Nigerian Government TSA platforms. The CGI is aware that receipt different from the Nigerian Government own was printed and being issued to applicants in some of the embassies abroad which are not the usual treasury receipts given at the embassy.”
According to the petition with REF. No.: CPDGNG2022/VOL.001 written on the 9th September, 2022 and submitted to the anti-graft agencies on 12th September, 2022 with two signatories of Comrade Musa Usman and Wale Adegoke Chairman and Secretary of the group respectively, ”There was another revelation few days ago, involving Nigerian High Commission Kenya. It was another menace of how citizens seeking for passport and consular services are being dubiously exploited. It was a case of a stranded young Nigerian from Delta State. One Celestine, a middle man was collecting the sum of $200 equivalent to (Kes 20,000) for passport processing or renewal fees which is high above the (Kes 12,910) originally fixed for such services in the country. There are many other instances of extortion, exploitative practices and racketeering abound across several Nigerian High Commission and Embassies abroad in which Nigerian citizens are the major victims.”
BELOW IS A COPY OF THE PETITION
COALITION OF PRODEMOCRACY GROUPS IN NIGERIA
Plot 5006, Borno Street, Area 10, Garki, Abuja. Tel. +2347010147818
Email.: cpdgin@yahoo.com
REF. No.: CPDGNG2022/VOL.001
The Chairman,
Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC)
EFCC Headquarters, Abuja.
Dear Sir,
PETITION ON BRIBERY, PEJURY, FALSE DOCUMENTATION, IRREGULARITIES AND BREACH OF PUBLIC SERVICE RULES AGAINST COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF NIGERIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICE MR. IDRIS JERE AND DEPUTY COMPTROLLER GENERAL MODUPE ANYALECHI
We write you with great sense of foreboding on the illegalities going on in the Nigerian Immigration Service under the Jere led management. We are stunned, alarmed, appalled, even petrified and these words are not strong enough to express our dismay regarding the way and manner people entrusted with position of trust are profiting at the expense of the interest of Nigerian nation. The duo have unwittingly become rogue elements with selfish and dark interests and malicious intention towards our nation.
Watching what has been going on in the service since the appointment of Jere as the Controller General by the Buhari administration, one cannot help but feel very sad for Nigeria. His tenure as CG has been characterized by illegal collection of international passport issuance fees, racketeering and other sundry malpractices. Unfortunately, no action from him in order to curb the menace. Series of complaints were made by Nigerians in Diaspora especially in the following cities Barcelona, Almeria, Alicante, Murcia Burgos e.t.c in Spain against collection of cash and payment for passport fees to illegal accounts instead of making remittance to the official Nigerian Government TSA platforms. The CGI is aware that receipt different from the Nigerian Government own was printed and being issued to applicants in some of the embassies abroad which are not the usual treasury receipts given at the embassy.
Also series of exploitative measures being used against the citizens in Nigeria became the order of the day. Including passport racketeering for both renewal and fresh applicants, deliberate scarcity of passport booklet, abuse of expatriate quota, and breach of standards applicable to foreigners seeking for either residency or Nigerian citizenship. And the fraternization by the duo with ring leaders of human trafficking by constantly accelerating their passport application. Given them undue protection to enable the syndicate members and accomplies gain safe departure from the county at our various entry point.
There was another revelation few days ago, involving Nigerian High Commission Kenya. It was another menace of how citizens seeking for passport and consular services are being dubiously exploited. It was a case of a stranded young Nigerian from Delta State. One Celestine, a middle man was collecting the sum of $200 equivalent to (Kes 20,000) for passport processing or renewal fees which is high above the (Kes 12,910) originally fixed for such services in the country. There are many other instances of extortion, exploitative practices and racketeering abound across several Nigerian High Commission and Embassies abroad in which Nigerian citizens are the major victims.
Failure to curtail influx of foreigners through our land borders and in most cases lack of adequate data on their movements, contacts and hunts on arrival in the country.
Recently, the CGI Jere and DCG Anyalechi the lady in charge of passport and other travelling documents, woke up from a nagging thought of tenure elongation. A syndrome usually associated with “evil servants” sorry known as dubious civil servants desperately trying to conclude an unfinished, fraudulent and dishonest accumulation while in office. It is in pursuanceof the dark agenda that the duo engaged themselves in bribery for unmerited tenure elongationwhich has been granted for them. Unfortunately, however, findings on their original service records revealed a lot of discrepancies in the documents there by making the entire service extension not only suspicious but also a clear case of penury and false documentation.
Our findings have shown that before Jere joined the Immigration Service. He was a practising journalist with a media organization. His initial date of entry to the service contradicted what is obtainable in the present repackage service records. In fact, some of the former Comptrollers of the service can aptly help testify and attest to the incontrovertibility of the complaints we are presenting against the duo.
It must be clearly stated on record that Jere has proven himself as a dishonest old man, with unquenchable penchant for grandstanding and bellicosity. His paranoid fear of possibly being askto account for the discrepancies and irregularities under his watch made him secured the tenure elongation. No doubt, there are controversies revolving around alteration of their dates of birth and years accumulated in service.
We are perplexed, dumbfounded and miffed at incomprehensible and indefensible claim being made surrounding the obnoxious tenure extension given to them. Our intensive finding on the two characters has shown their trademark of very poor work attitude by strangulating and frustrating voices of dissent from the cadres of hardworking and patriotic members of the service under the present leadership.
Nothing could be more threatening to our collective security as a nation than retaining in the service persons that are over due for exit from the system but being retained in their positions not due to lack of competent replacement but through cash and carry arrangement. Because they will simply try to ganner additional largesse in whatever way or form. The recouping methodmay include compromising with suspected politically exposed persons and drug lords always getting express during passport collection devoid of proper scrutiny.
The issue of foreigners seeking entry permit for them to distabilize our country particularly as we inch towards 2023 general election is another important concern. Already the Nigerian Intelligence Community is suffocating ISWAP/Bandits across the country. The action and in actionof the leadership of the Immigration Service may make or mar the work of other agencies.
By this petition you are expected to rise and obey your sacred duty. The time is now. The urgencyof the moment beckons.
Sir, kindly accept our highest regard and consideration even as we look forward to getting the earliest possible invitation to substantiate our claim.
Comrade Musa Usman
Chairman
CC
National Security Adviser
The Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau Director General, DSS
Comrade Wale Adegoke