By Muhammad Sabiu
Idris Jere, the Nigeria Immigration Department’s (NIS) interim comptroller general (CG), has stated that the service is now seeking to hire an additional 5,000 officers.
This, according to Mr Jere, was made to help the NIS fill a manpower shortage, he said while answering questions from reporters in Dutse on Saturday.
“With regards to inadequate personnel in the NIS, as you know, we’ve just concluded recruitment into the service, and we’re training those recruits now.
“As you’re also aware, the government has placed embargo on recruitment, but lifted that on security agencies, because security is key.
“So, we’ve written to the President and I’m very sure we will get approval to recruit about 5,000 more personnel into the NIS,” Mr Jere said.
He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had received a memorandum from Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, who expressed his readiness to grant the request.
The CG travelled to Jigawa to visit hospitalized personnel and offer condolences to the family of one of its officers, who was slain on August 9 by suspected bandits.
The personnel were attacked at one of the Immigration Service’s bases in the state’s Birniwa Local Government Area, which is along the Birniwa-Galadi axis.
