POPULAR singer, Falz has asked Muhammad Babandede, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), to reverse the ‘Siberia’ posting of the female officers who participated in the viral #DontRushChallenge video.
Recall that in a disciplinary memo dated Wednesday, April 15, 2020, the female officers –Priscilla Irabor, Catherine J. Bakura, Blessing Alfred Udida, Binti I. Attabor, and Ockiya Eneni, were notified of their sudden posting from their current places of assignment in Abuja, Lagos, and Enugu, to new places of assignments as far as Borno, Kano, and Yobe.
Reacting to the development in a letter addressed to the Immigration boss, Falz who’s a lawyer and son of renowned human rights activist, Femi Falana, said the current inter-state lockdown in the country would not make it possible for the officers to resume at the places they were redeployed to.
In the letter titled, ‘Punitive posting of the five Immigration Officers involved in the online viral video for the Bop Daddy challenge’, Falz said; “Recent news surrounding five female officers of yours who came under fire for featuring in a fun video online has particularly caught my attention.
“The said ladies were pictured changing from their official uniforms into casual outfits while my music was playing in the background.
“‘Immoral behaviour’ ‘Sabotage’ & ‘Any other act unbecoming of a public officer’ were the offences levelled against them as they were alleged to have caused ‘a lot of embarrassment to the NIS.’
“Consequently, I have also learnt that the Service has decided to post these officers to remote areas of the country as a punitive measure. The Senior Staff Posting Order dated 12th May 2020 stated that the posting be ‘at no cost to the service’ and be done ‘on or before 19th May 2020’.
“As a terribly concerned citizen, I am writing to you a second time as my initial attempt to reach you via text/WhatsApp was met with no response.
“The Public Service Rules which guide the operations of the Immigration Service state that any senior officer seeking to be posted or transferred must submit an application for such transfer listing his or her reasons for desiring such transfer. (Chapter 2 Rule 020503)
“The Public Service Rules also state that ‘Officers on posting, transfer or on assumption of duty on new appointment at their new station, different from their city/town of domicile shall be entitled to transport fare for self… In addition, they shall be eligible for hotel accommodation for the first 28 days or an allowance for the first 28 days in lieu of hotel accommodation’. (Chapter 13 Rule 130105)
“Had the posting been in order, the seven-day time frame accorded the officers would have been an impossible one as inter-state travel is currently prohibited.
“In the light of the above, I respectfully request that you further reconsider the decision to post these officers.
“It is important that we continue to breed a strong sense of solidarity particularly during these trying times. Hopefully, we can defeat this pandemic together.”
Following Falz’s letter to Babandede, the Immigration boss has decided to suspend the deployment of the female officers.
Announcing the decision, the Nigerian Immigration through its official twitter handle, wrote in parts, “that the earlier Posting Order be put on hold pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
The decision to punish the female officers with Siberia posting, however, came as a surprise to members of the public, as many took to social media to slam the service.
Unlike it is in the overseas where enforcement officers take part in funfilled-civil activities; enforcement agents in Nigeria put up a stern intolerant front. What is your take on this as a Nigerian?
