Recruitment tragedy: President Jonathan Queries Interior Minister, Immigration Comptroller-General

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja queried the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), David Parradang.

As a result of the stampedes recorded across the country during the poorly executed Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise across the country which resulted in the loss of 18 lives, the Minister of Interior,  Mr. Abba Moro and the Comptroller General of Immigation, Mr. David Paradang were summoned on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Moro and Paradang were at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to explain what led to the unfortunate and avoidable incidents.

Upon arrival at the Presidential Villa, the duo met with the President’s Chief of Staff, Brig.-Gen. Jones Arogbofa (rtd.) in his office. It is understood that this was in preparation for their meeting with the President which later lasted for about one hour.

The Interior Minister and Comptroller General were led out of the President’s office by 2:30pm. They refused speaking with journalists.

Moro and Parradang refused to take questions from State House correspondents when they approached them for the outcome of their meeting with President Jonathan.

The minister, who had visited the scene of the incident and the National Hospital in Abuja on Sunday, had confirmed to newsmen that several applicants died at the recruitment venue.

The deaths were as a result of the stampede which occurred at the Abuja National Stadium, venue of the recruitment.

Moro also pledged that his ministry would offset the medical bills of the victims of the incident.

That meeting might also not have been independent of the whole NIS recruitment tragedy.