Exposed! Scam in Nigerian Immigration Services
– A witness in the case against Abba Moro the former minister of interior has spoken on the NIS scam
– The witness, David Paradang said he was informed about the money gathering process for the exercise
– Paradang says there was a breach in communication in the controversial recruitment exercise in question
– He faulted the fact that the money collected from applicants was only for the online registration
The first witness in the ongoing trial of the former minister of interior, Abba Moro and three others have said that the fees collected from applicants the 2014 botched recruitment exercise by the ministry of interior.
Scam trails Immigration recruitment exercise.
In his testimony today, the former comptroller general of Nigerian Immigration Services, David Paradang said he was informed that the money gathered by Dextrel Technology for the 2015 NIS exercise was only for online services.
The witness said there was no communication between him and the board of the services on the recruitment exercise till January 2014. Paradang’s testimony came after the court admitted a letter of reply sent to him by the secretary of the board of the service.
“We were at the National Assembly with all senior officials from the ministry and services and the then minister of interior, Abba Moro,” Paradang said.
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“It was then the honourable minister announced that a date have been fixed the recruitment exercise into NIS and that date was March 15, 2014; it was very surprising to all of us,” he said.
He said he called his management team after the meeting and the National Assembly to inform them that the minister has said the examination for recruitment will take place on March 15, 2015.
He said while he did not receive any letter to that effect his team however made preparation towards the fixed date.
“We secured venues, made adequate preparations, therafter, the board called the service heads to hold the preliminary meetings to plan for the recruitment exercise,” he said.
“I attended that first meeting and then decided to set up a sub committee on that matter to plan and brief us,” he said.
He said his administrative officer later informed him that the procedures and financial implications of holding the exercise was on the forefront.
Normally the procedure for NIS recruitment include: collection of the applications, screening of the applicants, short list qualified candidates and set up a date for examination in the candidates states of origin, Paradang said.
Others steps include: mark the papers and qualified candidates called for physical screening to test their ability to stand the rigors of the job.
“With respect to the financial implications, we were not ready financially; we had no money to fund the exercise.
“We communicated to the committee when those issues were raised. He said the team went back and suggested told that to the committee.”
He said the team also suggested that the company that had been engaged by the ministry to do online registration for the NIS could fund the exercise.
He said the company was invited by the sub committee for the next meeting and if the could fund the exercise.
Paradang said: “And the committee asked, since they collected N1000 each from applicants can they pay for the recruitment exercise. But we were told that their agreement with the ministry did not require them to pay for the recruitment exercise.”
“The company said the N1,000 they collected was for online services only and not to fund the expenses of the recruitment exercise,” the witness said.
He further said that the committee relayed that to the board but did not get any reply from the board till on March 14 – a day to the exercise.
He said the letter said that all arrangements have been made for the exercise and that he as the comptroller general of NIS should make officers available in all states across the country.
Paradang had earlier informed the court that he wrote a letter to the secretary of the board to inquire if the powers given the Nigerian Immigration Service had been taken away.
“I wrote a letter on September 9, 2014 and unfortunately there was no reply to my letter,” Paradang said.
He said after one month another advert was published on dailies postponing the deadline for submission of applications.
He said that there was no reply on his letter till about October 2013 when the secretary, Mr. Tapgun replied that he acknowledged the receipt of his letter.
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He said Tapgun promised to notify him (Paradang) of any important issue arising from the recruitment exercise.
He further presented the secretary’s reply as evidence to be admitted by the court. Counsels to the first, second and third defendants did not object following a ruling by the court that all documents should be duly sorted out and an agreement reached by all counsels involved in the matter.
The court had also ruled that the prosecution shall pay fees and provide evidence of such to the court. But in an objection, Sunday Ameh, counsel to the fourth defendant said the witness is not the maker of the document and cannot answer questions on the said letter.
He prayed the court not to admit the letter as exhibit before it. But in his reply, the prosecuting counsel, Aliyu Yusuf said the witness has been able to identify the letter as a reply sent to him by the secretary of the board and as a public document is admissible by the court.
However, in his ruling, the judge over the matter, Nnamdi Dimgba ruled that the document be admitted as exhibit.
Dimgba also said his ruling is in line with an earlier order on the document.
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