Interior Minister Abba Moro’s job was hanging in the balance yesterday after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan summoned Moro and NIS Comptroller General, Mr. David Parradang, to the Villa to explain what went wrong.

The presidential action followed the national outcry that greeted the deaths in Abuja, Minna, Port Harcourt and Benin centres of 19 applicants, including expectant women.

Eminent Nigerians have called for Moro’s resignation or his sack by the President over the poor handling of what should be a routine event.

Moro and Parradang were at the Presidential Villa for over two hours. They were led to the President’s office by the Chief of Staff, Gen. Jones Arogbofa.

Jonathan described the “incident” as sad.

Speaking at the inauguration of the National Conference in Abuja, he said: “As we were preparing for this inauguration, a very sad incident happened on Saturday.”

He called for a minute silence “for the young lads who died on Saturday.”

It was learnt that Jonathan tongue-lashed the two officials for about 20 minutes. They were reportedly dumbfounded throughout the session.

They could not give cogent reasons for the deaths.

The President was reported to have told them: “I am highly disappointed with your performance. I cannot tolerate this.”

It was learnt that the President’s mood suggested that the time was up for the two officials to resign – if they could read his countenance.

A highly-placed source said: “We have never seen the President in such a foul mood at the Villa. The case was compounded by the fact that the Minister and the Immigration chief could not give cogent reasons.

“They were just blabbing.

“At the end of the 20-minute session, the Minister and Parradang wobbled out of the President’s office, uncertain of their jobs.”

Another source in the Presidency said: “The President’s reaction suggested that they cannot go scot-free at all. If they do not quit, he might show them the way out of government.

“What the President did was to tongue-lash them, leave them to ponder and take the path of honour by quitting; otherwise they will be removed without dignity.”

It was gathered that Moro and Parradang were still trying to lobby some governors and highly-placed Nigerians to keep their jobs.

Security agencies have started probing the involvement of a company, Drexel Nig. Limited, in the recruitment tragedy.

A top official of one of the security agencies said: “From our preliminary findings, over N7 billion was collected from 734,000 candidates who applied for about 4,556 vacancies.

“We are investigating how the company was engaged, the terms and the service rendered to the NIS.”

•Excerpted from a Nation report. Photo courtesy Vanguard shows Interior Minister Abba Moro commiserating with a hospitalised stampede victim.