TheNewsGuru

Tag: Immigration

  • Unknown gunmen kidnap immigration officer, children in Abuja

    Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Adamu Suleiman, and his two children, Abdullahi and Balkisu, in Naharati community in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

    A resident of Naharati said the incident happened early in the morning on Thursday after the gunmen in their large numbers, with sophisticated weapons, invaded the officer’s home.

    He said some of the gunmen scaled the fence of the victims’ house while others stood outside, while carrying out the act. He added that the wife of the officer was prevented from coming out of her room as one of the gunmen stood in front of her door until they whisked the husband and children away.

    As at the time this report was filed spokesman of the FCT Police Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah was unreachable.

  • Immigration arrests 14 Togolese, 10 Nigerians at Ogun border

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Ogun Command, has arrested 14 Togolese and 10 Nigerians at Ajilete and Ilase border posts in the state.

    The NIS spokesman, Sunday James, disclosed this in a statement made available to the on Thursday in Abuja.

    The Comptroller, Ogun State Command, Kunle Osisanya, said that the arrests were made by NIS operatives in line with federal government’s directives.

    According to Mr Osisanya, the 14 Togolese, comprising eight female adults and six minors, were arrested in a J5 bus at Ajilete, in Ogun.

    “The other 10 were arrested at Ilase, also in Ogun State, and out of the 10, five were victims of human trafficking.

    “Hence, they will be handed over to NAPTIP for defying the directive of government on closure of land borders,” he said.

    Mr Osisanya said that the arrested persons had been profiled accordingly by health officials in line with NCDC medical procedures and subjected them to COVID-19 test.

    He said that the NIS Comptroller General, Mr Muhammad Babandede, complimented the officers for being gallant and professional.

    He commended the efforts of the officers, noting that, some of the arrest were made along illegal points created by the human smugglers.

    He, however, charged them to up the tempo of their patrol as the service would continue to ensure safety of the nation.

  • BREAKING: Immigration suspends ‘graveyard’ postings of female officers in viral video

    BREAKING: Immigration suspends ‘graveyard’ postings of female officers in viral video

    Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has directed that the earlier ‘graveyard’ postings of some female personnel in viral video be put on hold.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Babandede made this known in a statement on Friday, revealing that an investigation had since commenced on the matter involving the female personnel.

    Recall that the leaked documents have revealed the female immigration officers in the #DontRushChallenge video were punished with ‘graveyard’ postings.

    The female personnel of the NIS, five of them, were written up for misconduct after appearing in the video that went viral.

    The officers were posted from their places of assignment in Abuja, Lagos and Enugu and given “graveyard” assignments as far afield as Borno, Kano and Yobe.

    It will also be recalled that following their appearance in the viral #DontRushChallenge video, Priscilla Irabor, Catherine J. Bakura, Blessing Alfred Udida, Binti I. Attabor and Ockiya Eneni were the subject of a disciplinary memo dated April 15, 2020.

    The memo, which found its way into the public space sparked vocal condemnation and protests from civil society organisations, human rights lawyers and the general public.

    Pop artist “Falz The Bahd Guy” whose song was used in the video even offered his help to the female officers, raising hopes that they would not be victimised for what many saw as harmless fun that merely portrayed the NIS in a human light.

    These hopes were when a leaked official NIS memo showed that the five officers had been handed punitive and discriminatory postings.

    The leaked memo confirmed that Priscilla Irabor was transferred from the Lagos State Command to the Nigeria Immigration Training School, Kano (ITSK), while Binti Attabor was posted from the service headquarters in Abuja to the Yobe State Command.

    Catherine Bakura was moved from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja to the Nigeria Immigration Training School Ahoada, Rivers State, while Blessing Alfred Udida was moved from the FCT Command to the Akwa Ibom State Command. Finally, Ockiya Eneni was transferred from the CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) Production facility to the Borno State Command.

    The leaked memo had also outlined a secondary punitive measure, which is that the relocation will be done at the personal expense of the officers involved, and they were given just 7 days to report at their new places of assignment.

    According to the statement announcing the suspension of the ‘graveyard’ postings, the matter involving the five female officers is still being investigated, and not concluded yet.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Comptroller General Muhammad Babandede MFR has been drawn to some trending matters on some social media platforms regarding the deployment of some of our Personnel to some Formations across the country.

    “It is important to note that staff deployment remains a vital practice of regimented organizations such as ours and should be seen as such. As an agency, we maintain zero tolerance to any matters bordering on offences against discipline among members of our workforce irrespective of gender.

    “We have high premium for staff development and indeed encourage personal efforts but that must be within the confines of our rules and regulations.

    “The matter involving the Personnel in question is still being investigated and therefore,the Comptroller General has directed that the earlier Posting Order be put on hold pending the conclusion of the investigation”.

  • JUST IN: Trump suspends immigration to US, gives reasons

    JUST IN: Trump suspends immigration to US, gives reasons

    U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will temporarily suspend immigration into the United States to ‘‘protect the jobs of American citizens’.

    In a tweet early today, Trump said:

    “In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!”

    The immigration ban generated close to 10,000 reactions less than 25 minutes after Trump tweeted it.

    The responses foreshadowed the political fire the idea will ignite on Tuesday across the aisles in the U.S.

    America at the moment has an unprecedented job crisis, with about 22 million workers unemployed.

  • Covid-19: Another prominent Nigerian, Babandede tests positive

    Covid-19: Another prominent Nigerian, Babandede tests positive

    The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede, has tested positive to the corona virus disease, an official has disclosed.

    A statement by DCI Sunday James, the Service Public Relations Officer, disclosed that the Immigration boss had been on self isolation since he returned from the United Kingdom.

    He said: “As a top official of government he has adhered to the NCDC instructions to self isolate and undergo test. The result of the test came out positive, hence the need to make it public.”

    James said that the Comptroller General is in stable condition and responding to treatment.

    “The Comptroller General is active and directing as expected the affairs of the service online, while the Deputy Comptroller General Overseeing the administration of the service is in touch online to keep service activities running within this period.”

    He said the service would continue to deliver on its mandate for the nation even in this trying times as we pray the whole world get over it, Nigeria inclusive.

  • JUST IN: Abia Immigration Comptroller dies

    Abia State Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Banaebi Edward Ogba, is dead.

    Though information surrounding his death is still sketchy at the time of filing the report, it was gathered that Ogba died in Umuahia, the state capital on Wednesday.

    Reports have it that the staffers of the agency were in shock when the news broke.

    But Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, in a statement on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, said the state government received the news of the death of the State Immigration Comptroller with profound grief.

    Ikpeazu stated the useful and incisive contributions of the deceased during the State Security Committee, which has gone a long way in assisting the State Government in managing issues around security of lives and property in the State would be greatly missed.

    He described late Ogba as an officer who carried out his duties in the state with utmost dedication and devotion.

    “The state government received with profound grief, the news of the sudden death of the State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Banaebi Edward Ogba who passed on yesterday in Umuahia.

    “The Governor expressed deep sadness at the demise of a man he referred to as “a gentleman officer” who carried out his duties with utmost dedication and devotion.

    “Governor Ikpeazu recalls that as a member of the State Security Committee, the Late Comptroller made very useful and incisive contributions during the deliberations of the Committee which went a long way to assisting the State Government in managing issues around the security of lives and property in the State.

    “The Governor sends his personal condolences and those of the Government and People of Abia State to the family of the Late Comptroller and the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, while praying God to accept his soul and comfort the family,” the statement reads.

  • Nigerian immigrants worst hit amongst those Trump now bans from entry to US

    The US has announced it is expanding its curbs on immigration to include six more countries, including Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.

    Citizens from Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar will now be blocked from obtaining certain types of visas.

    People from those countries will still be able to visit the US as tourists.

    In 2018 the US issued twice as many immigration visas to Nigeria than to the other five nations combined.

    An official said the new measures were the result of failures by the six countries to meet US security and information-sharing standards.

    “These countries, for the most part, want to be helpful but for a variety of different reasons simply failed to meet those minimum requirements that we laid out,” acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told reporters on Friday.

    He said officials would work with the countries on bolstering their security requirements to help them get off the list.

    US President Donald Trump first introduced a travel ban in 2017. It currently closes US borders to citizens from seven countries, most of them with Muslim majorities.

    In 2018 the US issued more than 8,000 immigration visas to citizens of Nigeria. That same year, just over 2,000 were issued to Sudanese nationals, 290 to Tanzanians, and just 31 to Eritreans.

    The US had previously announced a ban on certain types of visas for Eritreans in 2017.

    BBC

  • Immigration arrests two Niger nationals with weapons at Katsina border

    Two nationals of Niger Republic have been arrested at Kongolam border in Katsina state, the Nigerian Immigration Service announced on Saturday.

    According to the Public Relation Officer of the Service, DCI James Sunday, they were arrested in possession of Pistols, computers and phones.

    Sunday explained that their arrest was on the heels of the visit of the Comptroller of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede and his counterpart in Customs, Hammeed Ali to the border town following the launch of a drill operation.

    He added that the comptrollers were on a visit to the area as part of strategic synergy to secure the nation’s borders.

    He said vigilant officers arrested the two Nigeriens who had attempted to open fire in defiance and to evade arrest.

    According to him the gallant Operatives of the service overpowered them, leaving one dead in the cross fire, while the survivor is helping with useful information about their activities.

    He stated that after interrogation and profiling the surviving criminal has been handed over to the police for further necessary action.

    The PRO said in a statement that the Comptroller of the Command, Bin Umar and his men were commended by the CGI Babandede on the feat.

    He asserted that the Border Drill Exercise Operation Swift Response is yielding positive result with arrests of irregular migrants, criminal elements and Smugglers whose activities have been curtailed.

    He, therefore, advised the border communities to desist from conniving and sabotaging government effort.

    Meanwhile the nationwide spot assessment by the two Comptrollers General and representative of the National Security Adviser has been very successful, the statement added.

  • BREAKING: [Xenophobia] Immigration hurdles delay arrival of 317 Nigerians from South Africa

    The return of Nigerians trapped in xenophobic attacks in South Africa has been delayed for over five hours on account of Immigration hurdles posed by South African government, Chairman Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed.

    Speaking in an interview at the cargo wing of the Lagos International airport, she said the Air Peace aircraft detailed to airlift 317 passengers on the manifest of the inaugural flight was delayed on the ground by South African authorities.

    The South African authorities, she disclosed, brought new immigration rules before the affected Nigerians could be allowed to board the aircraft.

    She said the 2.00 pm scheduled time for the aircraft to arrive Lagos was no longer tenable due to logistic and other diplomatic hurdles posed by South African government.

    She stated the 317 Nigerians were getting ready to board the aircraft about 12.40 pm.

    On arrival, she said the federal government will carry out profiling of the returnees and keep an open line of communication with them for about two months for reintegration.

    She said some stipends in the form of transport fare will be given to them to get to their respective states of origin.

    Mrs. Dabiri- Erewa said government has mobilised the Bank of Industry to work out several skills acquisition and other social intervention programmes for returnees who are interested.

    Details shortly…

  • Alleged corruption: EFCC submits names of individuals on watch list to immigration

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted the particulars of individuals on its watch list to the Nigerian Immigration Service in Ilorin.
    The commission added that those individuals were under its investigation.
    Prominent in the list is immediate past Secretary to the State Government Isiaka Gold; former Commissioner for Finance Ademola Banu; former Senior Special Assistant to former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede and former General Manager of Radio Kwara, Adedeji Abdulateef.
    Acting Chairman, EFCC Ibrahim Magu, stated this through the Ilorin Zonal Head of the Commission, Isyaku Sharu.
    He spoke when the state NIS Comptroller, Edith Onymenam and other senior officers paid a courtesy visit to his office
    Magu stated it is necessary to familiarise the NIS with particulars of such personalities under EFCC’s investigation.
    He added that this became necessary following intelligence at the disposal of the commission that some highly placed individuals undergoing corruption probe and on the commission’s watch list in the state had procured forged police reports with which they plan to apply for another international passports to escape from the country.
    According to him: “Information at the disposal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ilorin reveals that these highly placed individuals are planning to use forged police reports to re-apply for another international passports to flee the country in other to escape prosecution and justice.
    “The commission urges you to use your good office to place these individuals under strict surveillance.”
    The EFCC boss, who expressed joy with the visit, said: “Your coming today is a welcome development. As stipulated in EFCC Establishment Act, the Nigerian Immigration Service is a member of the Commission. We can’t do anything without you. If we don’t collaborate with your office, we can’t get it right.”
    Onymenam hailed the anti-graft body for the existing cordial relationship between the two agencies.
    Reacting to the EFCC watch list, Onymenam said there was no cause for alarm, assuring that the suspects would not get another international passport.
    I