The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Friday disclosed that it was set to issue the provisional letters of appointment to the 888 successful candidates out of 1,470 that reported for from the 2,000 prequalified.

The breakdown of the different cadres were “Assistant Superintendent of Immigration II 177, Assistant Inspector of Immigration 305, Immigration Assistant I - Immigration Assistant III 406, totally 888.”

To this end, noted NIS, the names of the successful candidates would be published on its website, “www.immigration.org.ng” from Monday 31st Oct. 2016, adding that successful candidates can start looking out for their letters.

“The recruitment exercise process has been regularised and the issue finally laid to rest.”

Disclosing this to the media in a press briefing held in Abuja, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS), Mr. Mohammed Babandede, said: “You may recall that on Saturday 15th March, 2014 about 6.5 million applicants for Immigration employments reported to various designated centres in the Federation for screening.”

According to him, the inability to manage the large number of applicants resulted in the death of 16 persons and injuries to a score of others. Consequently, the exercise was suspended and therefore inconclusive.

“As a responsive and responsible agency of government which is committed to transparency and accountability in line with the tenets and of the change agenda of the Federal government, we are obliged to avail members of the public relevant information in on our activities and reports on outstanding issues.

“In an attempt to address the issue, in his correspondence to me dated 9th August, 2016 my Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdulraman Dambazau, conveyed the kind approval of Mr. President to re-assess the aggrieved applicants for the purpose of recruiting them into the service.

“Consequently, the CDFIPB, the body with the statutory duty to recruit issued out guidelines for a fresh screening of only the 2000 applicants that were involved and whose names were published in Leadership and THISDAY Newspapers on the 15th and 16th of August, 2016 respectively,” he said

The CGIS explained that, considering the importance of the Agency to the nation, due process was followed for the screening as directed by the statutory board which includes: Age on rank, proper scrutiny of certificates, physical fitness, drug free test, security clearance, good conduct/character and medical fitness.

The exercise he stressed was open to coverage by the press, adding that the recommendations from the exercise had been submitted to CDFIPB which on confirmation, would issue the provisional letters of appointment to the successful candidates.

He however said that the successful candidates would remain on probation in line with Public Service extant laws until they were confirmed and gazetted during which period they would be observed to ensure that they were drug free and of good conduct. (THISDAY)

•Photo shows Immigration personnel during a parade.

Update news