58
eminent Nigerians, including senior lawyers and politicians have asked
President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Minister of the Interior, Comrade Abba
Moro and the Comptroller–General of Immigration, David Shikfu Parradang over
Saturday’s death of some job seekers across the country.
About
19 people were reported dead across the country during a recruitment exercise
by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
In
a statement issued Sunday by the Chairman, National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC), Dr Chidi Odinkalu, but jointly signed by the 58 eminent
Nigerians, they blamed Moro and Parradang for the shoddy handling of the
exercise.
They
urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of
Police together with the Director-General of State Security Service to launch a
joint criminal investigation into the deaths of the job seekers.
They
faulted the Minister’s reaction to the incident, arguing that he ought to
sympathise with the families of the deceased rather than blame them for the
unfortunate incident.
According
to the statement: “On Saturday, 15 March 2014, hundreds of thousands of
job-seekers attended job-seeking examinations organised by the Nigeria
Immigration Service (NIS) in different centres in Nigeria to fill 4,556
vacancies. The NIS is supervised by the Ministry of the Interior.
“The
Ministry and the NIS had compelled each job seeker, as an eligibility condition
for participating in this hire process, to pay the sum of one thousand Naira
(N1,000). There is no evidence that these sums were remitted to the Federation
Account as required by law.
“In
most places, these job-seeking examinations took place in stadia, suggesting
that the organisers anticipated large turn outs. Inexplicably, they failed to
make adequate or any arrangements for crowd management and control.
“At
different centres around the country, including Abuja, Benin, Kano, Minna, and
Port-Harcourt, many job-seekers, including pregnant mothers, were killed and
lots more were injured in stampedes caused by grossly negligent and uncaring
ground arrangements.
“This
tragedy was needless, foreseeable, and avoidable. The failures of the Ministry
of the Interior and NIS to adequately manage the process and safeguard the
safety and security of the jobseekers is inexcusable.
“The
deaths that resulted from these failures, therefore, were unlawful. If the
lives of Nigerians mean anything, the leadership and management teams in the
Ministry of the Interior and the NIS must be held to account for these deaths.
“In
his reaction to the deaths, Minister of the Interior, Comrade Abba Moro,
accused the victims of ‘impatience,’ claiming that the deaths resulted because
‘they did not follow the laid down procedures spelt out to them before the
exercise.’
“The
effort by the Minister responsible for citizenship in Nigeria to blame the
victims rather than take responsibility shows a callous disregard for the lives
of Nigerians incompatible with his high Ministerial brief. It brings public
service into disrepute.
“In
the circumstances, we the undersigned, as citizens of Nigeria, respectfully
demand that:
*The
Minister of the Interior, Comrade Abba Moro; and the Controller –General of
Immigration, Mr. David Shikfu Parradang, be immediately relieved of their
positions;
*The
Honorable Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of
Police together with the Director-General of State Security, should launch a
joint criminal investigation into the deaths of these jobseekers;
*An
independent audit should immediately be instituted into the monies made by the
Ministry and the NIS from the jobseekers and criminal investigations should be
commenced as appropriate;
*Government
should demonstrate a readiness to address the problem of youth unemployment as
a national security priority through a partnership involving the agricultural
sector, public sector, private sector, voluntary sector, and multi-laterals.
“To
the families across the country bereaved as a result of these and other on-going
challenges in our country, we take this opportunity to transmit heartfelt
condolences and pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of our deceased
brothers and sisters.”
Signed by: Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, Dr. Ayesha Imam, Dr.
Jibrin Ibrahim, Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed, Dr. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Mr. Olusegun
Adeniyi and Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Mr. Femi Edun, Dr. Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Mal.
Abba Kyari, Dr. Kole Shettima, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, Prof. Ebere Onwudiwe, Mal.
Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, Hon. Yusuf Tuggar, Mr. Yemi Candide-Johnson, SAN, Alhaji
Tajudeen Fola Adeola, Waziri Adio, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, Iniruo Wills, Mrs.
Ayo Obe, Y. Z. Ya’u, Nasir Ladan, Dr. Jeremy Weate, Prof. Nsongurua Udombana, Dr.
Charmaine Perreira, Saka Azimazi, Dr. Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Mrs. Funke Adekoya,
SAN, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, Chief Ziggy Azike, KSC, Roland Ewubare, Mrs. Stella
Ugboma, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, Chukwuma Odelugo, Dr. Solomon Ebobrah, Afolabi
Kuti, Mrs. Victoria Ibezim-Ohiaeri, Ms. Seember Nyagher, Dr. Joan Oviawe, Ikeazor
Akaraiwe, Auwal Musa (Rafsanjani), Doueyi Fiderekumo, Dakorim Boma Odunuga, Alaezi
Nmezi, Dele Aloko, Mrs. Ozioma Izuora, Ms. Lola Shoneyin, Mal. Bilya Bala, Dr.
Aliyu Modibbo, Uba Saidu Malami, Obinna Anaba, Ms. Wumi Asubiaro, Alhaji
Suleiman Adamu, Mr. Obi Akaraiwe, Ngozi Iwere, Asma’u Joda, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed.
No comments:
Post a Comment