Palpable tension has gripped the ranks and file of the Nigerian Im­migration Service (NIS) who have been awaiting President Muhammadu Buhari’s final decision on the Comptroller General of the Service, Mohammed Babandede, whose tenure of office expires in Septem­ber, Independent reports

Immigration sources said although the CGIS had reached the mandatory re­tirement age and number of years in service, he is yet to proceed on compul­sory terminal leave, which ought to begin on Monday (tomorrow).

They alleged that there had been some surrep­titious moves by senior figures in the Ministry of Interior and Presidency to have his tenure extended by another two years.

Babandede, the 16th indigenous CGIS, was ap­pointed by President Buhari on May 15, 2016. He replaced Martin Kure Abeshi, who retired on June 21, 2016.

Abeshi, who was due for retirement on May 13, 2016, spent an extra five days be­fore his exit.

Like Babandede, Abeshi had sought for an exten­sion of his tenure, having reached the retirement age, but did not get Buhari’s ap­proval.

Babandede, 57, would be due for retirement on September 15, 2020, having spent 35 years in service in line with the public service regulation.

The rules stated that compulsory retirement age for all grades in the civil ser­vice should be 60 years, or 35 years of pensionable ser­vice, whichever is earlier.

“No officer in the civil service shall be allowed to remain in the office after at­taining the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service which­ever is earlier,” the civil ser­vice rule states.

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