Joseph Inokotong, Abuja
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has refuted reports that it received N23 million in COVID-19 palliatives for its personnel from either government or private individuals.
NIS Comptroller-General Muhammad Babandede stated this in a statement by Mr Sunday James, a spokesman for the NIS, in Abuja on Monday.
According to him, that payments made to NIS officers were routine payments processed and paid in line with extant rules.
Mr Babandede described the allegation of distributing palliatives to ‘cronies’ as false and misleading.
The Immigration Comptroller urged the public to disregard insinuations in some media outlets that an amount was received and shared among some officers.
He added that the publications were intended to cause disaffection within the rank and file of the Service.
‘The attention of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Muhammad Babandede, has been drawn to a publication by a section of the media,’ the statement reads.
‘The publication alleged that N23 million was given to NIS as palliative payment to Officers and Men of the Service.
‘For the purpose of clarification, there was no palliative given to the Service from the government or private bodies for distribution to its personnel.
‘The payments made to the officers were routine payments processed and paid to officers in line with extant rules contrary to the publication
‘The Comptroller-General was in isolation and undergoing treatment during the process. There has never been an occasion for payment of money to so-called cronies as alleged.’
The Comptroller-General urged officers and men of the Service to continue to work as uniformed officers who are guided by standard operating procedures and codes of professional ethics.
