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Tag: NIS

  • Why FG should improve working condition of NIS personnel – FCT Comptroller

    Why FG should improve working condition of NIS personnel – FCT Comptroller

    The Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), FCT Command, Mr Tony Akuneme, says there is need for the Federal Government to improve the working conditions of immigration personnel, including their remuneration and logistics.

    Akuneme said in an interview with NAN on Sunday in Abuja that there should also be deliberate efforts to build the capacity of the personnel to enhance operational efficiency.

    He said in spite of the commitment of the personnel, their efforts were being hindered by inadequate funding, poor infrastructure and logistics.

    The comptroller said that the command has very good plans for staff development, but could not push through due to funding constraints.

    “I am committed to career growth and development, as well as welfare.

    “We are in difficult times now, and anything we can do to put smiles on the faces of the people is welcome,” he said.

    According to him, the most important and immediate intervention required is to get additional funding and logistics.

    “If that is done, we’ll do better in providing quality services to the people of FCT, and Nigerians in general.

    “No state comptroller is excited at what we get to run the commands, considering the cost of diesel to keep the command running.

    “Let me tell you that what a comptroller gets to run the command in a month is about N100,000. That’s too poor. Where do you start from?

    “Even though we get some supplies from the headquarters, but there are some accidental expenditures that can’t wait for response from the headquarters.

    “We need more funding to enable us work well. That’s my appeal to the government,” Akuneme added.

    He said that the NIS has a very efficient and committed workforce that requires a little push to deliver effective services to the public.

    “We need more manpower, renumeration, training, welfare, technology, logistics, vehicle and other work tools.

    “We cannot keep pretending and yet expect 21st century outcomes,” the comptroller said.

    Akuneme said the new NIS Comptroller General, Kemi Nandap, has since assuming office, being providing inspirational and transparent leadership to the service.

    “She operates an open door policy, and she has also promised to be judicious in handling the affairs of the service, particularly the finances and the well-being of officers, which is at the centre of her plans.

    “All officers can attest to her fair and firm disposition.

    “When she was a Deputy Comptroller General, she was part of those that improved the insurance scheme for officers, as well as the ongoing passport reforms.

    “When the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo came in, he took up the issue of passport and we can see the result,” he said.

  • NIS rescues 3 victims of human trafficking in Jigawa

    NIS rescues 3 victims of human trafficking in Jigawa

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), says it has rescued three victims of human trafficking in Jigawa.

    The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Samson Agada, said this at a news conference in Dutse on Wednesday.

    He said personnel of the Service intercepted the victims on Tuesday at about 11:00 AM, at Tsamiyar Ilu check point in Kazaure Local Government Area of the state.

    Agada said the victims, who are indigenes of Kogi, include Ahmed Ibrahim, 25; Ibrahim Rafatu, 17, and Nafisat Jibril, 32, adding that they were apprehended alongside a suspected trafficker, Mustapha Zulqarlaini.

    “Upon their interception and subsequent profiling and interrogation, the victims confessed that they were on their way to Daura area of Katsina Dtate.

    “They will then cross the Nigerian border to Niger Republic, for their onward destination to Libya.

    “Upon further interrogation, they confessed that have a sister who is residing in Libya they intended to join her.

    “The suspected trafficker, Zulqarlaini, claimed to be an uncle of the victims and confirmed that he facilitated their journey from Kano to Daura.” he said.

    The comptroller added that when contacted by the service, the victims’ parents gave their consent to the journey on the basis of abject poverty.

    “They are victims of human trafficking, and as such we are handing them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)”.

    Agada urged parents and guardians to monitor their wards to protect them againts falling prey to traffickers.

    He reitrated the Service commitment to check irregular migration and human trafficking.

  • Gov Idris reacts over killing of NIS officers by bandits in Kebbi

    Gov Idris reacts over killing of NIS officers by bandits in Kebbi

    Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi State has condoled with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) over the death of its two personnel serving in the State.

    Alhaji Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, made this known in a statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

    Recall that the two personnel, Isa Nafi’u and Garba Haruna Fana, lost their lives when a group of suspected bandits launched an attack on the officers on duty at Garin Garba entry point, about 12 kilometres away from Kangiwa, headquarters of Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi.

    The third officer escaped unharmed.

    The governor’s aide said Idris personally attended the funeral prayer for the personnel held in Birnin Kebbi and expressed dismay over the demise of the gallant officers.

    He prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive their shortcomings and grant them Jannatul Firdaus.

    Idris appealed to the immediate families of the deceased and the NIS to take heart and accept the will of God Almighty in good faith.

    He said the sacrifice they made to the nation would never be forgotten as their lives were cut short in the service to their motherland.

    The governor encouraged other personnel of NIS not to be deterred by the act of whom he described as notorious and bad elements in the society, urging them to continue with their legitimate and lawful duty as scheduled.

    He assured that the government was doing everything possible to ensure protection of lives and property of people across the state.

    Idris therefore appealed for cooperation and support to all policies and programmes of the present administration to enable it to succeed.

  • SAD: Bandits attack, kill 2 immigration officers in Kebbi

    SAD: Bandits attack, kill 2 immigration officers in Kebbi

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has lost two personnel to banditry attack in Kebbi.

    Its State Command’s Spokesperson, DSI Abdullahi Isa, disclosed this in a statement in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

    He said: “On a sad note, on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, a group of suspected bandits launched an attack on Immigration Officers at Garin Garba entry point, about 12 kilometres away from Kangiwa headquarters of Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi.

    “As a result, two gallant officers lost their lives. They are: Isa Nafi’u (II) NIS No. 34057 and Garba Haruna Fana (II) NIS No. 17796.”

    The Spokesperson confirmed that the third officer escaped unharmed.

    He revealed that the two deceased had been buried in Birnin Kebbi according to Islamic Injunction.

    “May the Almighty Allah in His infinite mercy forgive their shortcomings and grant them Jannatil Firdaus and give their immediate families the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss,” he said.

  • Our plan is for all Nigerians to have international passport – NIS

    Our plan is for all Nigerians to have international passport – NIS

    Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said that all Nigerians are expected to have international passport as a means of identification, both within and outside the country.

    The Comptroller of Immigration, Kwara Command, Mr Aminu Shamsuddin, stated this at a news briefing in Ilorin of Wednesday.

    Shamsuddin said that the Controller-General of NIS, Caroline Adepoju, had done a lot in ensuring that all Nigerians had international passport.

    One of such efforts, he said, was the approval of a Passport Front Office in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara to enhance more access to the service.

    The comptroller said that the establishment of the front-line office was to encourage more people to apply for passport and reduce crowd in Ilorin office.

    According to him, passport is a means of identification and can easily be used to know everything about the individual holder.

    “Through a registered phone number, a person’s identity and information can easily be revealed, both within Nigeria and overseas, once such a person obtains an international passport.

    “Passport is the first thing that will be demanded in any country around the world, to know a person’s information and crime record,” he said.

    The comptroller stated that lots of people applied for passport on daily basis, adding that NIS was working hard to ease their stress by upgrading its services.

    “We need people to accept the changes that are ongoing in order to maintain our standard, as our passport is acceptable all over the world.

    “Passport issuance is dynamic. We change from time to time in necessary areas that will make it easy for applicants during payment.

    “Application can now be downloaded within the comfort of your home and there is liberty to choose where you want for capturing and collection of passport,” he said.

    According to him, there is no more third party involvement during registration. This is to avoid issues like wrong name spelling and applicant’s information.

    The comptroller solicited for more support from the media, even as he said that NIS would continue to sensitise the public on the need for passport application, renewal and other services being rendered

     

     

     

     

  • What you should do if you want to japa – NIS

    What you should do if you want to japa – NIS

    The Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS) has advised Nigerians to seek legal means of travelling, warning that travelling through the desert and irregular routes is dangerous and should be avoided.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports NIS to have said any person who wants to travel out of the country, should go to an NIS office to obtain a passport and seek proper advice.

    The Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Caroline Adepoju said this on Friday during a rally to sensitise students as well as traders against irregular migration and smuggling of migrants.

    Adepoju warned students and traders during the rally held to mark the Anti-smuggling of Migrants Week on Friday in Abuja.

    Represented by the Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI), Mr Innocent Olowu, she advised the students and traders not to be deceived by some people who might want to lure them into travelling out of the country through irregular routes.

    Adepoju said the rallies were held in the secondary school, University and markets in order to reach the targeted people.

    She also said NIS decided to bring the message of anti-smuggling of migrants to schools because of the number of youths that were dying, passing through the Sahara dessert and Mediterranean sea.

    Adepoju counseled the students on how they could migrate through regular means, saying that travelling out of the country through irregular means was dangerous.

    According to her, the students and youths need to know that travelling safe, orderly and through regular means is better than risking their lives.

    “We are losing lives and the numbers are outrageous and because of this, we thought of a preventive measure by creating awareness on the dangers of irregular migrations.

    “The one at schools was directed at the students themselves who will understand what we are talking about, and will also talk to their parents about what they were told.

    “We were in the markets to meet the traders so that they would not allow their children to be trafficked or smuggled out of the country.

    “Any person that wants to travel out of the country, should go to NIS office to obtain a passport and seek proper advice.

    “Travelling through the desert and irregular routes is dangerous and should be avoided,” she said.

    Adepoju said at the end of the campaign, it was expected that students and youths would make up their minds not leave the country through unrecognised routes, borders or leaving with fake documents.

    A student of GSS Airport, Prosper Omole, lamented that kidnapping, banditry, robbery, killings, among others, had led young ones like him to leave the country through irregular routes.

    Omole, however, assured that he would leave the country through regular channel, adding that he would also take the message to his friends and family by encouraging them to avoid irregular migration.

    Other Students and traders pledged their support to help the Service to curb irregular migration and avoid smuggling of migrants.

    The immigration service had visited Government Secondary School (GSS) Airport, University of Abuja and Gosa Market to campaign against irregular migration and smuggling of migrants.

    The sensitisation, which was led by Comptroller General and personnel of the service, took off from the headquarters of the Service and terminated at Gosa Market, Airport road.

  • NIS elevates spokesperson, 4,851 others to various rank

    NIS elevates spokesperson, 4,851 others to various rank

    Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Caroline Adepoju, has announced the promotion of the Service Public Relations Officer, (SPRO) Adedotun Aridegbe, to the rank of Comptroller of Immigration.

    Adepoju, who said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, added that the service also promoted 4,851 other personnel who participated in the 2023 promotion exercise.

    She said that the promotion details were conveyed through a letter from the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board, vide CDCFIB/S.33/VOLIV/75 and dated August, 4.

    The Comptroller General had decorated 69 newly-promoted Assistant Comptrollers General and Comptroller Of Immigration on Tuesday.

    She gave the breakdown of the promotion as 18 Comptrollers of Immigration got promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptrollers-General of Immigration.

    “51 Deputy Comptrollers were promoted to the rank of Comptrollers of Immigration; 43 Assistant Comptrollers of Immigration were also moved to the rank of Deputy Comptrollers of Immigration.

    Also, “520 Chief Superintendents of Immigration were elevated to the rank of Assistant Comptroller of Immigration; 634 Superintendents of Immigration got the rank of Chief Superintendents of Immigration.

    Furthermore, “426 Deputy Superintendents of Immigration got promoted to the rank of Superintendents of Immigration; another 1,366 Assistant Superintendents (I) are now Deputy Superintendents.

    He added that “804 Assistant Superintendents of Immigration got promoted as Assistant Superintendents of Immigration (I) while 990 Inspectors of Immigration became Assistant Superintendents of Immigration (II)”.

    The NIS boss expressed gratitude to the Minister of Interior, and the Board Chairman, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his unwavering commitment to staff motivation.

    Adepoju charged the newly promoted officers to validate their advancements through heightened dedication and unwavering loyalty to authorities.

    She assured the government that the Immigration Service, under her leadership, would continue to contribute significantly to the peace and progress of the country.

    Among the officers decorated with new ranks were Sunday James, the former Service Public Relations Officer, and George Didel, a former Provost Marshal of the NIS, who were both elevated to the position of Assistant Comptrollers General of Immigration.

     

  • Nine Nigerians who tried to ‘escape’ to Europe repatriated

    Nine Nigerians who tried to ‘escape’ to Europe repatriated

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday in Ikeja received nine repatriated Nigerians who attempted to stow away to Europe through The Gambia.

    Comptroller of the NIS at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Mrs Adesola Adesokan, advised Nigerians against stowing away to Europe.

    Speaking with newsmen on the development, she described stowing away as a death trap into which many Nigerians had fallen and had lost their lives.

    Adesokan said the nine stowaways received on Tuesday were handed over to immigration officials by officials of the Gambian Immigration Service.

    She noted that two of the stowaways almost drowned in their bid to evade arrest, but were rescued and taken to the Nigeria High Commission in The Gambia.

    She added that the High Commission processed emergency travel documents for the nine stowaways to be repatriated to Nigeria, but were reluctant to return home.

    “Nine Nigerians were sent back by The Gambian Immigration Service after attempting to stow away through the sea.

    “Two of them almost lost their lives because they could not swim after jumping into the sea to evade arrest.

    “Security officers were able to rescue them; put them in the boat and took them to a hotel where they were given food but, they vehemently resisted plans to return them to Nigeria,’’ she said.

    Adesokan added that the stowaways demanded money from the Gambian immigration service as a condition to return to Nigeria.

    “They were eventually taken to the Nigeria High Commission in Banjul, which persuaded them and issued them emergency travel documents so they could return to Nigeria,’’ she said.

    She advised those planning to engage in irregular migration to desist and follow the right channel and also called for value reorientation.

    She stressed that irregular migrants eventually got caught and deported, adding that some ended up doing odd jobs.

    Adesokan noted that the stowaways were young Nigerians between the ages of 21 years to 30 years.

    Also speaking with newsmen, the returnee stowaways expressed regret at their action and claimed that they were lured into the voyage by friends who luckily made it to Europe through the same route.

    One of the stowaways, Abdul Yakubu, said that he was selling noodles and fried eggs on Lagos Island before he was cajoled to embark on the trip.

    Yakubu said he lost N70,000 which he paid to the man who introduced and boarded him on the ship.

    Another stowaway, Daniel Vincent, said they did not take any food or water when they boarded the ship at Tin Can Port in Lagos because they thought Europe was a three-day journey by sea.

    Vincent said he was shocked to realise that he had not left the shores of Africa when they were detected by the ship’s crew members and handed over to the Gambian immigrations service.

  • NIS probes allegations of passport racketeering in South East

    NIS probes allegations of passport racketeering in South East

    The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mrs Caroline Adepoju, has ordered investigation into allegations of passport racketeering against personnel of the service in the South East.

    The Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Adedotun Aridegbe said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

    The Passport Control Officers in the region have been accused of charging extra fees in addition to the official fees for obtaining international passports.

    Aridegbe said that any officer found culpable would be dealt with as the service would not tolerate any form of misconduct or improper behaviour.

    “The attention of the NIS has been drawn to a report of allegations of misconduct against the personnel of the service over passport racketeering.

    “As part of efforts to rid the agency of these bad eggs, an order for immediate probe into the allegations has commenced and anyone found guilty will be sanctioned.

    “The CG and the Minister of Interior has given a directive for the investigation of the allegations and that is what we are doing,” he said.

    Aridegbe maintained that the guidelines for application for international passport were clearly stated in NIS website.

    “We also sent out our customer feedback number: 08028320751 (SPRO), 08067761196 (SA – SERVICOM), and we are not only ready to answer your calls but resolve issues.

    “The problem is that Nigerians like to look for shortcut and so they fall into the hands of people who fleece them.

    “They prefer to do things through the backdoor. Nigerians need to know that every office opened by the NIS has a duty to serve them, ” he said.

    Aridegbe enjoined prospective applicants to visit the NIS official website at immigration.gov.ng to apply for Passports.

    He also urged them to make payments for their preferred passport categories and avoid patronising individuals or entities that request cash payments for passport services.

  • NIS opens new passport office in Lagos

    NIS opens new passport office in Lagos

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has opened a new passport office in Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the new passport office was opened in Igbogbo community in  Ikorodu.

    Speaking on Friday while inaugurating the new passport office, Comptroller-General of NIS, Mrs Caroline Adepoju assured Nigerians that they would get their passports within three weeks of submitting their applications.

    Adepoju said passports  would now be processed and  issued speedily provided applicants submit all the required details in their applications.

    She advised the public to ensure that they renew their passports six months  before its expiration to avoid problems while applying for visa to some countries.

    Adepoju thanked the people of Igbogbo for their support and for  providing all that was needed to start  operation in the area.

    “I thank the traditional ruler  and the people of Igbogbo for their support and for  ensuring the realisation of this project.

    “This is my first assignment after my confirmation as the substantive  Controller General of Nigeria Immigration Service.

    “I want to advise the public to ensure they renew their passport  six months before expiration to avoid being denied visa by  some countries,” she said.

    Speaking, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu  said the establishment of the passport office in Igbogbo would improve service delivery i to Nigerians and save the  people of Igbogbo and environs the stress of  traveling far to obtain their passports.

    Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mr Ibrahim Layode, Commissioner for Home Affairs, said the role of Immigration in any country could  not be over- emphasised.

    He said that the establishment of the  passport front office in Igbogbo was a testament to Federal Government’s commitment to providing world -class immigration  services in line with global standard.

    Also speaking, the council Chairman of Igbogbo Baiyeku Local Counvil Development Area(LCDA) Mr Olusesan Daini, urged the CGI to consider expanding operations  at the new   passport front office .

    Daini said the council would synergise with NIS to ensure the edifice was  maintained.

    “We will also improve our  security architecture to ensure the office is secure.”he said.

    He said that the new passport office was a welcome development as residents  would no longer have to travel far  to obtain or renew their passports.

    “The establishment of this passport front office in Igbogbo will improve commercial activities.

    “The council will also improve its  security architecture to provide adequate security  in the area,” he said.

    Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Orimadegun Kasali ,who spoke on behalf of  all the  traditional rulers in Ikorodu Division , said he was very happy that the passport front office was established in  his domain.

    He added that it would go a long way in improving commercial activities in the area.

    Adeboruwa commended  all those who facilitated the establishment of  the passport office in  the community.

    “I cannot say  how happy I am today, infact ,this office will  put Igbogbo community in world map.

    ” I appreciate everybody that has contributed in one way or the other to make this  a success,especially  the family that donated the land .

    “I am glad that Igbogbo  passport office has come to  stay,” he said.