President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Acting Comptroller-General of Immigration Isah Jere Idris, till May 29, 2023.
This was contained in a letter of extension by Buhari which was signed by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
This is the second extension Jere would be getting after having his retirement extended for a year earlier.
The spokesman of the NIS, Tony Akuneme, confirmed to Daily Trust in a phone conversation that the CG had gotten another letter that extended his tenure till the end of the present administration.
“The CG has another letter that supersedes that one [letter directing him to vacate office]. He has been extended until the expiration of the tenure of the president. It’s just a one-month extension,” Akuneme said.
In an earlier letter from the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, dated 17th of April 2023, and addressed to the NIS boss, the government had directed him to hand over to the most senior officer, Deputy Comptroller-General, on or before April 24 pending President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of a substantive CG.
The letter was signed by Obasi Edozie Edmund, the acting secretary of the Board.
Some officers of the Service had threatened to stage a protest should the government extend Jere’s tenure again and on Friday, a Civil Society Organisation staged a protest at the NIS headquarters and the Ministry of Interior in Abuja to reject the continued stay of the Immigration CG in office.
The Executive Director of the CSO, Centre for Public Accountability, Olufemu Lawson, alleged that Jere was staying in office illegally.
