EFCC Grills Former Immigration Boss

Tue, Sep 15, 2015

By publisher

2 MIN READ

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THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, September 14, grilled David Parradang, immediate past comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service, over alleged fraud that trailed the controversial recruitments into the service last year.

But it could not be immediately ascertained whether the alleged fraud was in relation to the failed recruitment exercise by the NIS last year. About 6.5million applied for 5,000 spaces in the NIS. The conduct of the test in March, 2014, led to the death of 15 applicants. Scores were injured in stampede in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Minna. Each applicant paid N1,000.

Sources, however, disclosed that Parradang was interrogated over fraud-related matter but did not point the exact matter.

The former NIS boss reportedly arrived at the EFCC headquarters in the Wuse 2 District of Abuja at 10am and was immediately taken into the interrogation room by the EFCC’s operatives.

He was said to have been questioned over the ownership of the company that was used to extort N1,000 from each of the NIS applicants, which reportedly fetched the company more than N650 million in the process and what the money was used for.

The agency was also said to have asked Parradang to explain the whereabouts of the money.

Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman for the EFCC, confirmed the invitation but declined to give details.

The invitation followed claims and counter claims by Abba Moro, immediate past Interior Minister, and Parradang over the failed recruitment bids of the agency and the amount said to have been realised from the applicants. The former NIS boss had a face-off with Moro over the conduct of the recruitment exercise into the NIS.

While Parradang said his hands were tied, Moro accused him of being economical with the truth but the ousted CG has not opened up on what really transpired on the recruitment exercise when he served under Moro.

Parradang was in August suspended from office by President Muhammadu Buhari and has since been replaced by Martin Abeshi, his former deputy.

— Sep 15, 2015 @ 13:10 GMT

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