Minister, NIS Boss Face Sack over Death of 18 @ Recruitment

Abba Moro, minister of Interior’s job was hanging in the balance yesterday after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The presidential action followed the national outcry that greeted the deaths in Abuja, Minna, Port Harcourt and Benin centres of 19 applicants, including expectant women.

The President had queried Moro; and David Paradang, comptroller-general of the Nigerian Immigration Service, (NIS) over the loss of 18 lives during the controversial NIS recruitment on Saturday.

The 18 died during stampedes at the venues of the NIS recruitment in different parts of the country. The deaths have generated national uproar.

Both Moro and Paradang were asked to explain the circumstances that led to the incidents, which a presidency source said had portrayed the present administration in a bad light.

On arrival at the Villa, the two officials first met for about three hours with Brig.-Gen. Jones Arogbofa (retd.), chief of staff to the President, in his office.

The CoS later led the minister and the NIS boss to meet the President for almost an hour.

Neither Moro nor Paradang spoke to journalists after the session with the President.

President Goodluck Jonathan had also on Monday said his administration had commenced  investigation into the circumstances that led to the stampedes that claimed 18 lives at the venues of the recruitment.

Jonathan said this in his preliminary remarks at the inauguration of the national conference held at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja.

He described the incident as a sad one coming at a time preparation was being made for the inauguration.

Jonathan, however, said he would not bore those in attendance with the details of the investigation his administration was conducting on the event.

“As we are preparing for this inauguration, a sad incident happened on Saturday. We are looking into the circumstances of the sad event. I won’t bore you with the details of that event that left some innocent youths dead,” the President said.

Nigerians have called for Moro’s resignation or his sack by the President over the poor handling of what should be a routine event.

The minister has rejected calls for him to step down after he blamed job seekers for their deaths in Saturday’s stampede.

Moro told the BBC that there had been “poor handling” of the event by officials, adding that those in the crowd should have been more patient.

He said his resignation “did not arise” until after an investigation.