The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has called on Nigerians to join forces in tackling the escalating issues of illegal migration and human trafficking plaguing the country’s borders. The appeal was made by Mr. Samson Agada, the NIS Comptroller in Jigawa, during a speech commemorating the 60th anniversary of the NIS on Wednesday in Dutse.
While celebrating the organization’s achievements over the past six decades, Mr. Agada highlighted the significant challenges they continue to face. He emphasized that international terrorist networks, the proliferation of IT-related crimes, smuggling of migrants, and trafficking in persons, coupled with the expansive porous borders, are obstacles that demand the involvement of the general public to be effectively addressed.
“With the collective support of the Nigerian people, we can overcome or at least minimize the challenges of migration management,” stated Agada.
The NIS has consistently demonstrated its commitment to serving the public better and improving service delivery during its 60 years of operation. To enhance its services, the organization initiated numerous reforms, such as the automation of passport issuance, border clearance, and surveillance.
Speaking about recent advancements in passport administration, former Comptroller-General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede, highlighted that Nigeria became one of the five countries globally and the first in Africa to launch the enhanced e-passport in 2022.
“The enhanced e-passport is a higher-grade Nigeria passport equipped with 25 additional security features and is made of polycarbonate, making it water-resistant,” said Babandede.
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa also acknowledged the commendable efforts of the immigration service in effectively controlling the state’s borders. He stressed that despite the challenges, the NIS has been proactive in safeguarding Nigerian territories.
“As one of the border states, Jigawa is well-positioned to assess the NIS performance, and we can confidently say that these 60 years are worth celebrating, not only by NIS but by all Nigerians,” stated Governor Namadi, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim.
He assured that the state government would continue to support the NIS in fulfilling its crucial mandate of securing the nation’s borders and protecting its citizens.
As the NIS marks its 60th anniversary, the call for public support comes as a timely reminder of the collective responsibility to address pressing issues surrounding illegal migration and human trafficking, which can have far-reaching implications on national security and the well-being of Nigerian citizens.
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