Tag: NIS

Immigration redeploys 41 senior officers ahead of elections

The Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Isah Jere, has approved the immediate reposting of 41 senior officers ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Public Relations Officer (SPRO) of the service, Comptroller of Immigration (CI), Tony Akuneme, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Akuneme said the redeployment affected 11 Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) in charge of the various zones as well as 30 Comptrollers posted to new states.

“The states affected were mainly those that bordered Nigeria with neighbouring countries, such as Yobe, Adamawa, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Oyo, Lagos (Seme Border) and Cross River states.

“Other states that are getting new Comptrollers include: Gombe, Kaduna, kano, Plateau, Bauchi, FCT, Nassarawa, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers (Marine Command), Anambra and Enugu, among others,” he said.

The NIS spokesman said all the deployments were with immediate effect, adding that the CG placed a very high premium on the critical role of his personnel towards the success of the forthcoming general elections.

February 19, 2023
Polls: Buhari directs NIS to tighten border security

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to enhance border surveillance and control ahead of the forthcoming general election.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Mr Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

Aregbesola conveyed the President’s directive while inaugurating Katsina State NIS Command office and Roll-Out of the enhanced e-Passport in the state.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that Nigerian borders should be made impenetrable to foreign bodies who might want to come in and manipulate the election process or engage in other nefarious activities.

“The order from the President is that between now and the time that we conclude all the elections, please make our borders impregnable. They should still remain impregnable, even after the elections.

“We don’t want a situation whereby those who are not qualified to vote in Nigeria will come into our nation to illegally participate in the process,” Aregbesola added.

The minister reiterated that the primary assignment of the service was border control and not passport issuance.

The minister, however, said migration management was another primary responsibility of the service, as such, they must ensure migrants were effectively regulated and documented, as passport issuance was complimentary.

He assured that the nation’s borders would soon be covered using latest surveillance technology.

“We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 inch by inch surveillance of the 4,500 kilometres borderline from the eastern part to the western part including coastlines.

“This is one of the several achievements of the President’s administration.”

He added that Katsina has 14 border positions across 400km borderline manned by immigration personnel, and assured that the government was confident of protecting the border positions.

In his remarks, Gov. Aminu Masari, represented by the Secretary to the Government of Katsina State, Alhaji Muntari Lawal, commended the NIS for helping to curb the menace of insecurity in the state.

The governor also commended the Ministry of Interior for successfully establishing a state command of the immigration service in Katsina.

February 1, 2023
2023 polls: Buhari directs NIS to tighten security around borders

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to tighten security around the nation’s borders before and after the general elections.

Interior minister Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this in Katsina on Tuesday while inaugurating the Katsina State headquarters of the service.

“The order from the President Muhammadu Buhari is that between now and the time we will conclude elections, you must make sure our borders are secured.

“You must make sure that our borders are perfectly secured from illegal immigrants who may want to come in to create problems during elections, or illegally participating in the elections.

“The service should live up to the directives of Mr President,” he said.

The minister also tasked them on ensuring the documentation of all migrants.

Aregbesola said that Katsina State had 400 kilometers border lines and 14 border positions which the service needed to protect.

He said that government was upgrading the capacity of the NIS to effectively control the nation’s borders.

“We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 surveillance of the 5,000 kilometers border lines.

“We have already awarded the contract, so, very soon, the Comptroller-General, from his office, will be able to see what is happening anytime at any border point,” he said.

In his remarks, Gov. Aminu Masari, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Muntari Lawal, commended the NIS for the project and affirmed the administration’s readiness to support the service to secure the nation’s borders.

Also speaking, the State Controller, Mr Bello Garba, who reiterated the commitment of officers and men to their responsibilities, said that the service currently had 688 officers and men across the state.

He listed key functions of NIS including issuance of traveling documents to qualified Nigerians, controlling the movement of migrants after entering, and preventing illegal migrants from coming in.

Other functions include warding off persons seeking to come into Nigeria through illegal routes, and apprehending human traffickers.

January 31, 2023
159 Nigerians renounce citizenship as demand for passport soar

The Permanent Secretary (PM) of the Ministry of Interior, Shuaib Belgore has disclosed 159 Nigerians renounced their citizenship in 2022, the figure Belgore said was higher than the 15 years preceding 2022.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Belgore made the disclosure on Thursday at the ministerial media briefing hosted by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he appeared alongside the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

This is even as the Minister of Interiors claimed in his statements that the increasing emigration of Nigerians from the nation in quest of better opportunities, a phenomenon now known as “Japa syndrome,” is driving up demand for passports.

According to Belgore, 150 Nigerians gave up their citizenship between 2006 and 2021, while Aregbesola disclosed that during the past two years, at least 70 foreign nationals have been deported for a variety of offences.

“In the last two years, the Minister issued a total of 70 deportation orders for the deportation of different nationals from Nigeria due to one infraction or the other. The majority of those deported were from the Democratic Republic of Korea, Egypt, Sri Lanka and a host of others,” he disclosed.

The Minister also disclosed that the Nigerian Passports issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) increased numerically from one million in 2021 to 1.9 million in 2022, representing about 80 per cent increase, which Aregbesola described as unprecedented.

The Minister said that the Ministry of Interior is working with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to constantly reform the passport administration process in order to deliver improved services to Nigerians at all times.

Speaking at a State House Press Briefing Series, Aregbesola assured that the coming general elections will be conducted under a peaceful and secure atmosphere.

According to the Minister, “peace and security are necessary conditions for election. All the security agencies in the country, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), are therefore on top of their game.

“They will leave no stone unturned to provide adequate security for the conduct of free and fair elections. Nigerians should therefore keep their minds at rest”.

Speaking on the progress of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Ogbeni Aregbesola assured that custodial centres are now fully secured, as the personnel guarding the centres are now well trained and fully equipped. They now have the capacity to withstand and repel any form of attack.

He added that “the Correctional Information Management System (CIMS) which captures the records and biometrics of every inmate in the custodial centres to facilitate quick dispensation of justice has been deployed in all the States of the Federation and the FCT.

On the operations of the Federal Fire Service, Aregbesola disclosed that the statistics of Service from 2020 till date casts a beam of hope for personal and corporate security.

“The statistics show that the Fire Service responded to 10,659 fire calls, made 696 Emergency Rescues, saved 2,225 lives and an estimated property worth 25 trillion from 2020 till date”. He said.

Commending the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for living up to its mandate of protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, the Interior Minister stated that the NSCDC is not only active on land but also on water, fighting off oil theft, illegal oil bunkering as well as pipeline vandalism.

The session was chaired by Mr Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.

The event was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore; Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa; Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Idris Isah Jere; Controller General, Federal Fire Service, Abdulganiyu Jaji; Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Abubakar Audi and the State House Press Corps members amongst several others.

January 26, 2023
Immigration fires 4 personnel, demotes 14

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has dismissed four personnel and demoted 14 others for various offences.

A statement issued by the Spokesperson of the service, Mr Tony Akuneme on Tuesday in Abuja, said that those affected appeared before the Orderly Room Trial Committee of the Service.

According to him, four other personnel were discharged and acquitted, while two were redeployed to other locations.

He added that 11 personnel were issued warning letters, one was compulsorily retired, while 11 more are awaiting trial.

Akuneme explained that the action was taken to rid the service of bad eggs in furtherance of the Federal Government’s fight against corruption.

“The Controller General of Immigration is assuring the general public that there are no sacred cows in the NIS as all offenders shall be appropriately sanctioned.

“He is also urging members of public to be vigilant and support the service to deliver more on its mandate,” the spokesman added.

He urged the general public to always reach out to the NIS through +2348033074681, +2348021819988, Twitter: @nigimmigration and nis.pro@immigration.gov.ng.

January 10, 2023
Immigration raises alarm on use of ECOWAS travel certificates by human traffickers

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in Bayelsa, on Thursday raised the alarm on the increased use of ECOWAS Travel Certificates (ETC) by human traffickers to evade suspicion and arrest.

The NIS said it uncovered the new strategy used by human traffickers to evade security checks and avoid suspicion by using the ETC as a travel document by their victims to any of the ECOWAS Member States to evade stringent checks at the airports and lower the level of suspicion.

The NIS in Bayelsa also said in line with the directive of the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Isa Jere Idris, a trafficked victim by name Miss Maureen Ekpe, was rescued and released to the family, while the alleged trafficker was at large.

The Public Relations Officer for NIS in Bayelsa, Ibiemo Cookey, in a statement in Yenagoa, noted that the NIS, in Bayelsa, observed sudden increase in the rate at which young people obtained the ECOWAS travel certificate.

He said this necessitated a risk analysis and a checklist of the age group that was involved, as well as the reasons given for the travel and countries where the holders of the document frequently visited, before it attached additional security measure to issuance of the document.

He said it was on this ground that the unit directly responsible for the issuance, ECOWAS Unit, was tasked to add additional security document to the requirement.

The document, called the Suspicious Travel Interrogation Form, was zeroed down to any suspected case and has yielded results so far.

“It has helped in rescuing two victims by denying them the facility and denying several others without genuine reasons for travels, after due diligence interrogation.

The PRO said in one of the cases, the trafficker, who was at large after the victim was stopped, prompted the alert system and gave the command the idea behind the increased demand for the document against the conventional passport.

“The Bayelsa Command will not rest on its oars, until the syndicates are exposed and the only well justified, authentic trips without any link to Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) or Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) is established through the use of our interrogative process and vital intelligence tools to fight the menace,” Cookey said.

The NIS called on parents and guardians to desist from releasing their Wards/Children to people with hidden identities or motives, by verifying the kind of work their children were being offered and to report any suspicious move to take their children outside the country for unconfirmed work and mouth watering plans.

The NIS explained that the fight against human trafficking must be collective, to safeguard the lives and destinies of the young people.

The NIS also assured that all cases being investigated would be concluded before the New Year, for onward report to the Service Headquarters, Abuja.

He stated that the command had stepped up its strategies, while officers and men were warned to avoid being accomplices in anyway.

December 29, 2022
NIS cautions Nigerians against irregular migration

After three Nigerians were rescued after they embarked on a tortuous and deadly journey to Spain, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has cautioned Nigerians against irregular migration.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports three Nigerians [names withheld] stowed away on the rudder of a ship from Lagos State to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria on Monday.

They were rescued and hospitalized after an 11-day journey, and Spanish police have said they must be returned to Nigeria.

To save themselves from the associated trauma, Mr Christopher Baikie, the outgoing Comptroller of Immigration in Cross River cautioned Nigerians against irregular migration.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday in Calabar, Mr Baikie disclosed that while the NIS would continue to do its best to ensure that Nigerians get travel documents on time, citizens should always seek to travel formally.

The comptroller who is retiring from service, called for stronger synergy among security agencies and with the private sector to ensure security and prompt service delivery.

Baikie described his stay in the state as enjoyable, saying he had created bond with public and the private sectors that benefited the service.

The comptroller said that the synergy he built facilitated the construction of perimeter fence at the NIS office in Calabar by a company.

Baikie thanked all security chiefs in the state for the seamless working relationship built over the years.

November 29, 2022
NIS identifies 3 concrete reasons Nigerians can relocate abroad

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has identified three (3) concrete reasons for Nigerians to relocate abroad.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr Isah Jere made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday at a news conference.

The NIS boss said one could travel if the person has a legal job waiting, admission into school or any concrete legal means of survival.

Making the disclosure, Mr Jere cautioned Nigerians on the dangers of irregular migration, so as not to waste their future.

Jere, who was represented by Mr Tony Akuneme, the NIS Public Relations Officer said the service was committed to sensitising Nigerians on the dangers of irregular migration

“A lot of people want to travel without knowing what they are going to do or where they are going to exactly. People are being brainwashed by agents of irregular migration and you think life is better on the other side.

“Who says there are no beggars in Canada, USA or UK? There are beggars and homeless people in these countries you are rushing to.

“If the young people are told that the Libya they are going to is not better than Nigeria, that will at least give them a rethink.

“You can’t be excited going to a country you know nothing about,” he said.

According to him, some of the young people rushing out don’t even use the Nigeria passport issued to them.

“So what’s the point in getting a document that you don’t need and putting pressure on the system?” he asked

The CG urged the media to help in educating the citizens on the dangers of illegal migration.

November 25, 2022
Nigerians with expired passport can return home – Immigration

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday said that Nigerians in diaspora with expired passport would no longer require visas to visit home.

The Service, however, stated that they must show their expired Nigerian passports to ensure they were truly from Nigeria.

Mr Tony Akuneme, the NIS Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Abuja.

Akuneme was reacting to inquiries about the new visa policy of the Federal Government which said that Nigerians with dual citizenship don’t need visas to visit home.

“The status of the new policy is that Nigerians with dual citizenship are free to come to Nigeria but with their Nigeria passport even if it’s expired.

“You have to show that you are a Nigerian, that is why we say they can come with their expired passport. Dual citizenship means carrying two passports.

“Unlike before that when your passport is expired you will not be allowed to come to the country, now we can allow them to travel in with their expired Nigeria passport”, he said.

Akuneme further explained that although the essence was to allow them return home, they will be required to renew their passport before returning to their destinations.

“The whole essence is that when they arrive, they must renew their Nigeria passport before going back,” the NIS spokesman added.

November 22, 2022
Japa: Why Nigerians are fleeing to foreign countries – NIS

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has disclosed that the alarming rate of Nigerians fleeing to foreign countries is driven largely by social, economic and security concerns.

The Comptroller of Immigration Service in Enugu State, Mr Joachim Olumba made the disclosure on Thursday at a sensitisation campaign on the scourge of Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) for stakeholders in Enugu State.

The NIS Directorate organised the enlightenment in collaboration with the International Center for Migration Policy and Development (ICMPD).

According to Olumba, the rate at which Nigerians flee to foreign countries is becoming a worrisome phenomenon.

“Indeed, this program couldn’t have been held at a more appropriate time, considering the alarming rate at which, not only the youth, but older generation of Nigerians exhibit interest to leave the country.

“This is creating a worrisome phenomenon which has come to be popularly known in local parlance as “Japa”, he said.

He said the appetite to jet out of the country was usually driven largely by social, economic and security concerns, adding that Nigerians, especially the youth, were leaving the shores of the country in their droves.

“To many, what is paramount is to achieve the goal of migrating from the country and not the means of reaching their destinations.

“Whether they are smuggled or trafficked, or they even get to leave the country by means of stowaway, does not really matter to them.

“The ultimate interest is to relocate to foreign lands. As far as the vast majority are concerned, the end will eventually justify the means,” he said.

The comptroller said the desperation had brought unspeakable and unprintable hardships on numerous migrants.

He further said many have oftentimes been subjected to various degrees of harrowing experiences that eventually hunt them for the rest of their lives.

“This life of regret occasioned by the ill-advised mission to migrate by all means have exercised far-reaching consequences on countless victims of SOM.

“This is why this Sensitization and Enlightenment campaign has become auspicious and absolutely necessary.

“It is designed to equip migration managers and stakeholders with adequate knowledge to contain the scourge.

“And to arm the public with relevant information on how not to migrate in order to escape being victims of desperate promoters of SOM and TIP,” he said.

He disclosed the event would expose the reality that “not all offers to take our beloved ones overseas should be accepted.”

He commended the NIS and their collaborators for bringing the campaign to Enugu.

“You have undoubtedly taken a proactive action to stem the growing and troubling incidence of SOM in the state and beyond.

“We hope that the partnership will be sustained until the dangerous phenomenon is totally eliminated.

“We must not continue to watch while our children, the future hope of our beloved nation, are daily exposed to the grave danger posed by SOM,” he said.

In her goodwill message, the South East Zonal Coordinator, NAPTIP, Mrs Nneka Ajie, said it was time for every stakeholder to stand up against the menace.

“We all have stakes in the scourge; if you don’t stand firm, the scourge will continue,” she said.

Ajie commended the immigration service for her fight against smuggling of migrants.

She said that many migrants had met their untimely death through the menace.

November 4, 2022