Niger state Governor, Umar Mohammed Bago, has said that the criminal activities perpetrated across Niger state are masterminded and carried out by Illegal immigrants.
Speaking at the Seminar held by the Niger state Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to celebrate its 60th anniversary in Minna, Bago lamented that the immigrants forced their way into the country through neighbouring countries’ borders.
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The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, urged the immigration service to improve border surveillance and patrol.
“Nigeria shares international borders with up to four countries – Niger, Cameroun, Chad, and Benin Republic which is making us vulnerable to illegal migrants threatening our security. Therefore, I urge the Nigerian Immigration Service to intensify efforts to ensure strict migration guidelines for intending entrants into the country”, he said.
The Governor applauded the immigration service for the improvements in the issuance of travel documents, including passports, to bonafide Nigerians within and outside the country and the issuance of residence permits to foreigners in the country saying, “the process may have been daunting, but I think it is getting better by the day.”
He assured the service of the state’s continued support in the discharge of their responsibilities, adding that their presence in the state is a catalyst for development.
The Niger state Comptroller of Immigration Service, Nongo Samuel Shima stated that the country is being bedevilled with trans-border crimes like terrorism and kidnapping, which can be addressed with massive investments in migration management by government at all levels.
“Terrorism and kidnapping are crimes that are alien to us, but today they have permeated our societies because they are trans-border crimes. Governments at all levels must invest in migration management to forestall or at least minimize trans-border crimes. The citizens too must change their orientation to stop harbouring irregular migrants because of the dangers it portends.”
Nongo appealed to the Niger State Government to look into the state security architecture to bring all security agencies on board in tackling the menace of insecurity bedevilling the state.
He reiterated that the Immigration Service is properly repositioned to handle migration management in line with international best practice which has been demonstrated in the country being the first African country to key into the latest international reforms in travel documents.