NIS recruitment: Please, forgive me, Abba Moro begs Nigerians

Embattled Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, has taken full responsibility for the recent ill-fated recruitment into Nigeria Immigration Service which claimed 16 lives and begged for forgiveness from Nigerians, especially affected families.

Moro, who made the appeal at a media briefing, weekend, said his intention was genuine but lamented that the exercise turned tragic.

“I think that I will ordinarily ask Nigerians for understanding in this matter, understanding the intention, understanding the motive behind the whole thing of an open, transparent recruitment exercise.

“That is the first of its kind into the services of Interior Ministry that was intended primarily to give employment to Nigerians, irrespective of their backgrounds, connections, contacts in government or the business circle,” he said.

Moro said the exercise was intended to correct all the ills of the past and give everybody an open opportunity to get employment.

He added:  “For me, it is a personal loss because the exercise, in the first place, took place within the Ministry of Interior, organised by the Ministry and its services and so whatever consequences, positive or negative, that have come and in this instance, negative, I, as the Minister of that Ministry, under whose purview this exercise took place, where people lost their lives, certainly take full responsibility.

“I want to say repeatedly that the death of these young Nigerians who would have added value to human resource asset of this nation is highly regrettable. And for the families, I insist that my heart goes out to them because I am a father too.”

Moro insisted that he did not have any disagreement with either the board or the Immigration Services’ official over the recruitment.