Yemi Badru, a Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, has accused Muhammed Babandede, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other high-ranking officers within the service, of shielding Umar Mohammed, a superior officer who assaulted him in 2019.

Badru told FIJ that his plight began on July 31, 2019, after he refused to breach the immigration protocol to favour a request made by Mohammed. Badru claimed Mohammed had, in anger, slapped him multiple times, because of his refusal, till he suffered a nosebleed.

He stated that the Lagos State Command of the NIS subsequently carried out an investigation on the matter and in its report recommended a three weeks suspension for Mohammed.

Despite the recommendation however, Badru said Mohammed never served the suspension.

The aggrieved immigration officer said the D18 Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, sought legal advice from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice after it also conducted an investigation on the issue.

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“The Lagos State Ministry of Justice, through the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecution, after studying the duplicate case file sent to them by the police, concluded that Mohammed has a case to answer,” he said.

Badru also said that despite all efforts made by Barristers Saliu and Araba, state counsel assigned by the Attorney General of Lagos State to prosecute the case against Mohammed, the accused never spent time in police custody.

“They have written several letters to the Nigeria Police Force wherein they sought the attention of E. A Ayodele, the IPO of D18 Unit of State CID Panti Yaba, Lagos State, to arrest and arraign the accused Umar Mohammed before the Magistrate Court 3, Tinubu, Lagos State, Mohammed was granted an administrative bail by the police,” he stated.

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Badru said the police has refused to arrest Mohammed because ‘he is still a serving member of the NIS’.

According to Badru, neither the NIS nor its Comptroller-General has also acknowledged any of the letters sent to them by the police in the past, requesting that Mohammed be allowed to face prosecution.

“Now, I want Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Honourable Minister of Interior, to be active on the matter,” he stated.

FIJ called Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior, several times but he did not answer his calls. He had not replied to a text sent to him at press time.