About 2,000 recruits into the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), who were disengaged after their training in 2015, on Monday protested their sack at the Ministry of Interior.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters stormed the Ministry of Interior with various placards demanding their reinstatement into the NIS.

NAN recalled that the 2,000 applicants were recruited in 2015 following a presidential directive in the aftermath of Immigration recruitment stampede but were later disengaged after three months training.

Mr. Rex Elenu, the leader of the group, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they were at the ministry to protest their disengagement and press for immediate reinstatement.

He said that they had embarked on a similar protest in April to the Ministry of Interior and were assured by the Permanent Secretary that the issued would be addressed.

“We are here to protest our disengagement from the NIS.

“We have our dully signed letter of appointment, except for the Assistant Superintendent cadre whose letter of appointment falls under the purview of the board.

“We toiled for three months during our training across the country, but till date no government official has deemed it fit to issue a statement on our plight and the injustice meted to us.

“We, therefore, implore the honorable Minister of Interior to say something and do something now because our reinstatement is not negotiable,” he said.

Elenu alleged that the NIS recently engaged some workers in a secret recruitment/replacement while their case had not been unattended to.

The Comptroller-General of the NIS, Muhammad Babandede, who later came to address the crowd in the company of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mr. Bassey Akpanyung, pledged to look into the matter.

He said that although the problem was inherited and since he just assumed office, he would do all he could to resolve the issue in line with due process and the change agenda of the present government.

Babandede urged the protesters to be disciplined and conduct themselves peacefully while he meets with their leaders to find an amicable solution to the problem. (NAN)

•Photo by Ladidi Lucy Elukpo shows youths sacked by the NIS protesting their unceremonial disengagement in . . . Tuesday in Abuja.

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