Following
the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro’s declaration yesterday
that he will not resign after 15 job applicants nationwide died during a
recruitment exercise by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), he was
summoned yesterday along with NIS Comptroller General David Parradang by
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Comrade
Moro appeared disturbed after emerging from the President's office in
company of the immigration boss. They had earlier met with the Chief of
Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa, where they spent over an hour
before meeting the President.
Sources
at the Villa said President Jonathan had queried the interior minister
to explain within 24 hours the poor handling of the exercise and while
inaugurating the National Conference which began yesterday in Abuja, the
President asked for one minute’s silence to honour those who died.
Comrade
Moro earlier confirmed that 15 applicants including six women, one of
them pregnant, died in the aftermath of the stampede that occurred at
the various recruitment centres.
The
minister, who was speaking during an interview in Abuja, disclosed that
a total of 522, 650 applicants from across the nation were shortlisted
for the 4, 556 positions.
"Pregnant
women were not qualified for the exercise and no pregnant woman was
shortlisted for interview. The truth is that many people who had no
business being there including the pregnant women gate-crashed at the
venues for reasons best known to them.”
Comrade Moro said the government will take care of the medical bills of the injured and pay for the burial of the dead.
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