Aggrieved staff members of the Nigerian Institute of Sports (NIS) have levelled a barrage of allegations against the institute’s Director-General, Philip Shaibu, accusing him of turning the federal agency into what they described as a “personal empire” through alleged abuse of power, illegal recruitments, arbitrary promotions, punitive staff transfers and the systematic dismantling of established civil service procedures.
The workers alleged that since assuming office, Shaibu has presided over an administration characterised by ethnic favouritism, disregard for the Federal Character principle, victimisation of employees and the erosion of the institute’s administrative structures.
According to the staff, the Director-General recently recruited about 150 employees without adhering to the constitutional principle of Federal Character, alleging that a significant number of the new hires came from his home state, with several reportedly originating from his local government area.
The workers further alleged that many of the newly recruited officers were immediately elevated above long-serving staff and assigned strategic positions despite lacking the required qualifications and experience.
They cited the appointment of a newly employed lawyer to head the institute’s Maintenance Department as one of several examples of what they described as irregular placements.
“Some newly employed staff are wrongly placed above their ranks and put in wrong designations, including a newly employed young lawyer heading the Maintenance Department,” one of the aggrieved workers alleged.
The staff also accused Shaibu of using staff transfers as a punitive measure, alleging that experienced officers were posted to newly created zonal offices that exist only on paper without offices, equipment or operational facilities.
According to them, affected officers were neither paid travel allowances nor the mandatory 28-day mobilisation allowance, leaving many stranded and struggling financially.
“The new zones have no offices and no equipment, yet staff are posted there and made to appear as though the offices are functioning. These transfers are purely punitive,” they alleged.
They further claimed that despite public claims that the zonal offices are operational, the facilities remain non-functional while the Director-General’s media team allegedly projects a misleading image of progress.
The workers also alleged that consultants appointed by the Director-General have effectively taken over the institute’s Registry Department and now perform duties traditionally reserved for career civil servants, including staff audits, personnel administration and maintenance responsibilities.
According to them, senior staff members have been relegated to the background while consultants accompany the Director-General to management meetings and official engagements with top government officials.
They further claimed that the institute’s Management Committee has allegedly been dissolved, allowing the Director-General to take unilateral decisions, including signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) without management approval.
The aggrieved staff equally accused Shaibu of intimidating employees through frequent issuance of queries over what they described as trivial matters.
They also alleged that promotion exercises conducted within the institute have remained unapproved, leaving many qualified officers uncertain about their career progression.
“Those whose promotion exercises have been completed have not been confirmed, while those due this year do not even know their fate because the Director-General has refused to approve the recommendations,” they alleged.
The workers further claimed that routine administrative requests are now routinely marked “Kept in View (KIV),” causing delays in official activities and slowing the institute’s operations.
They also painted a grim picture of deteriorating working conditions, alleging persistent shortages of electricity, water supply, photocopying materials and other essential office facilities.
The staff accused the Director-General of denying employees access to workshops, training programmes and professional development opportunities, contrary to civil service regulations.
“Since he assumed office, no staff member has been sponsored for workshops or self-development courses under the institute, despite the impression being created before the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation,” they claimed.
The workers also faulted Shaibu’s decision to operate primarily from Abuja instead of Lagos, which they described as the operational headquarters of the Nigerian Institute of Sports.
They further questioned several recent appointments, including the recruitment of an allegedly inexperienced librarian who they claimed lacked the academic library experience and scholarly publications required in the advertised qualifications.
Other allegations include the appointment of a non-specialist as Senior Nursing Officer in Edo State, the elevation of newly recruited officers above experienced staff, the appointment of an allegedly inexperienced officer to head the Edo zonal office and the transfer of the Head of the Legal Unit to Adamawa.
According to the workers, one newly recruited officer now supervises a Level 15 officer despite not having completed confirmation of appointment.
“He recruited someone with no experience from his state to become the Institute Librarian despite having a highly qualified officer already within the system. The recently employed librarian also has no academic library experience and no academic publications as required in the vacancy advertisement,” the staff alleged.
The workers called on the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Sports Development and other relevant oversight agencies to urgently investigate the allegations and restore transparency, accountability and due process in the administration of the Nigerian Institute of Sports.
As of the time of filing this report, the Director-General, Philip Shaibu, had not publicly responded to the allegations.