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Tag: immigration

  • Immigration boss carpets ex-minister Moro

    Immigration boss carpets ex-minister Moro

    The Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Martin Abeshi has denounced claims by former Minister of Interior Abba Moro that the service lacks the capacity to produce international passport booklets and the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card.

    Abeshi said the service has the capacity to produce the two security documents if adequately funded.

    Moro had told a public hearing by the House Committee on Interior last Wednesday that the agreements the immigration service had with different private companies were not judiciously implemented.

    But reacting to this at the weekend in a chat with newsmen, Abeshi said the NIS has well trained personnel who could produce the international passport booklets and the CERPAC cards.

    According to him: “Moro is entitled to his opinions. If he says we don’t have capacity to produce international passport, what did he do about that in the period he stayed as Minister of Interior?

    “I don’t believe we don’t have the capacity to produce passports. We have it with the calibre of staff by their training and we have more than enough if available funds are given to us.”

    Abeshi stated that the service plans to hold its CG annual conference and stakeholder’s interactive forum on April 6-8 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

    He explained that the forum would assess the performance of the NIS so far against global best practices as well as evaluate papers presented, opinions and positions reached to fairly administer immigration laws, practices and other related instruments.

  • Immigration repatriates 47 illegal Nigeriens

    Immigration repatriates 47 illegal Nigeriens

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said it has repatriated no fewer than 47 illegal aliens from Kwara State to their country, Niger.

    Briefing reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, the State Comptroller, Mrs. Abimbola Abiodun-Ojo, said that the illegal immigrants were arrested from their base in Budo-Sunday-Kinikini, Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.

    The comptroller, represented by NIS spokesperson in the state, Adeyemi Adeshola, said: “Following a tip-off that was made available to us, we sent our men on intelligence gathering. We were able to find out that there were some non-Nigerian residing in Kaiama LG, specifically at Budo-Sunde-Kinikini. We went for a raid and were able to arrest about 47 Nigeriens: nine males, 11 females and 27 minors. They have been repatriated to Niger.

    “We went there for the raid, and after the raid, we had to do profiling and screening. We actually invited the Department of State Services to join us in the screening. We discovered that they did not have proper documents to reside in the country. They came in through illegal means. That was why we eased them out of the country.

    “Their stay in the country was already a threat because it is a threat to the social life in that environment, to our economy and the infrastructure. It is a threat because they did not come in through the appropriate channel or route. With time, if they were allowed to stay there jobless, they can take to crime.

    “I thank the people that made information available to us and I also want them to continue to make available necessary information, especially when they see influx of new faces in their environment. They should contact the necessary security agencies so that we can do our jobs and make sure that everything is okay.”

  • Immigration to recruit 5, 000 personnel soon

    Immigration to recruit 5, 000 personnel soon

    • Replaces dead, retired, officers with over 200 people in the North-East

    Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), will soon commence the recruitment of 5, 000 officers, following government approval, NIS Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Ekpedeme Kings disclosed Thursday.

    The 5, 000 vacancies, Kings said were: “approved under the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan for fresh recruitment in 2012, which is still pending.”

    Speaking with our correspondent on the alleged recruitment scam in the NIS, the immigration spokesman said the service has not started any fresh recruitment.

    He explained that the immigration only carried out over 200 replacements of officers that died in the North –East zone following the attacked by the Boko Haram sects, resignation and retirement of its personnel at the junior cadre within the last few years.

    It would be recalled that there was a report in a National Daily (not The Nation) early this week with the caption: “NIS in fresh recruitment scam”.

    The publication alleged that the NIS is in a fresh service.

    It further alleged that the recruitment was done in December, 2015 while the new recruitment was done in December, 2015 while the new recruits have already been paid their January salaries.

    Kings denied the development when asked.

    His words: “We did replacement of over 200 officers. The fact is that Boko Haram has been rioted out of the North- East zone and now for the Army to carry out its operations in other areas it is common knowledge in the country that the para-military, are to continue to take over the areas that have been conquered.

    “We should be able to maintain the peace in that area for developmental proposes. The Army will go on with the war, while the paramilitary gives support and also while government is reconstructing the area.

    “Because we have not been able to recruit for the past five or six years, due to our failed recruitment exercises we have not been able to have the kind of man power that is needed to carry out this administrative occupation of the North-East zone.

    “So that services approached government that so many officers have died in the North East zone, others have retied because they have completed their years of service or on account of age, others have been moved due to several reasons.

    “The workforce we are putting to this places are not actually the middle cadre or the senior officers it is the inspectorate that is level 1-7. We have the senior officers that are already there.

    “We pleaded with government to replace these people and government considered and government gave the approval. The number I do not know but it is over 200 and not 300.”

    “The 5, 000 vacancies were approved under the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan for fresh recruitment in 2012, which is still pending.”

    He said 80 percent of the 5, 000 officers that are going to be recruited soon will be deployed to the borders across the country after proper training.

  • Six Britons held for alleged breach of immigration law

    THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested six Britons for an alleged breach of Nigerian laws, especially sections of the Immigration Act 2015 regulating expatriate quota.

    The Britons flouted the legislation through a Nigerian company, named GMT Energy Resources Limited, a marine logistics/procurement support service provider in the oil and gas industry in Lagos.

    It was learnt that the six expatriates work for Tilone Subsea Limited, a marine contracting and subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) company in Port Harcourt.

    Tilone Subsea obtained resident working papers for the expatriates from the Immigration Service, who embarked on Christmas/New Year holidays and expected to return to work early last month.

    But information got to the management of the company that the six Britons had arrived Nigeria with visas obtained on their behalf by the Tilone Subsea and proceeded to work for GMT Energy Resources Limited on-board Maersk Normad vessel at Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT), Onne.

    Further investigations showed that GMT Energy Resources are contractors to EXXONMobil, a United States (U.S)-based oil firm with headquarters in Houston, Texas. At the time of the arrest of the six expatriates, they were engaged by GMT in a project for the oil firm.

    As at the time of this report, Tilone Subsea Limited, the company that sourced these expatiates through one of their UK technical partners, has made complaints to immigration authorities in Rivers and Bayelsa states and Onne Command.

    An officer at the Onne Command of the Immigration Service, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed The Nation that the six would be transferred to Abuja.

    Speaking on condition of anonymity, another officer believed that some companies engage in what is referred to as “poaching” –  an act of stealing expatriates brought in by another company.

    Attempts to reach the management of GMT were futile.

    Tilone Subsea Limited’s Security Manager Commander F. Abiodun (rtd), in a phone chat with The Nation, said they have made representations to the appropriate quarters.

    The management is contemplating suing the six expatriates.

    Our correspondents witnessed the Britons being brought to Abuja on a 9 am. Aero flight from Port Harcourt last Saturday.

    They were met by immigration officials and were driven to the screening centre at the Immigration headquarters in two vehicles – a light brown Toyota Camry, registered as GWA 579 NV and a Green Honda CRV, registered as FE 278 ABJ.

    The NIS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Epedeme Kings, who confirmed the incident when contacted, told our correspondents through a telephone conversation that they were arrested and brought to Abuja for further investigation.

  • Cross River: Immigration arrests two suspected traffickers

    Cross River: Immigration arrests two suspected traffickers

    The Cross River Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has arrested two suspected human traffickers as well as rescued 29 victims.

    State Comptroller of Immigration, Mrs. Funke Adeuyi, told reporters in Calabar Tuesday that the suspects and their victims were apprehended on January 10, 2016.

    Adeuyi said they were arrested by men of the NIS on border patrol at Itigidi in Abi local government area of the state.

    “On January 10, the immigration border patrol officers at Itigidi intercepted two buses containing 29 youth which we found out were victims of human traffickers.

    “On first line interrogation, we discover that a lot of them were going to an unknown destination.

    “We have profiled them and we have all cause to suspect that they were about to be trafficked to an unknown destination.”

    She said they would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons.

    According to the State Comptroller, the two suspects had some monies with them, while some of the victims only had their mobile phones with them.

    “The victims told us during our first line investigation that they were being taken to a place where they would work and get some money.

    We reliably gathered from some of the victims that their parents were aware that the suspected traffickers were taking them away to do menial jobs that would earn them some money.

    “We would hand them over to NAPTIP for further investigation on the matter’’ she said.

    She advised parents to be careful in giving out their children or wards to people whom they do not know much about.

    Receiving the victims and suspected traffickers, Mr Victor Odudukudu, an official from NAPTIP, assured that the agency would continue with the investigation.

    “We are going to interview the victims and interrogate the suspects.

    “We are also going to trace their family members and find out if they actually gave out their children to the suspects,’’ he said.

    One of the suspects, Mr Denis Agbor, said that he was taking the victims to Akure, Ondo state, to work in his restaurant.

    According to Agbor, he took the victims from Yakurr local government area of the state.

    “When I was about going back to my base in Akure, these people met me and appealed that I take them along with me and engage them in menial jobs.

    “I agreed to their appeal and promised that I will be paying those that will work in my restaurant some token while I will engage others elsewhere.
    “I am not taking them for anything bad; I was only trying to help them earn a living and I even know some of their parents,’’ he explained.

  • Immigration generates N24 billion in 10 months

    Immigration generates N24 billion in 10 months

    • Interior Minister says only 48 Nigerians were repatriated from UK

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has generated N24.3 billion between January and October this year from the issuance of passports and visas, it was learnt yesterday.

    Comptroller General (CG) of NIS, Martin Kure Abeshi, disclosed this in Abuja while briefing the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on the activities and operations of the service.

    Giving the breakdown of the revenue, Abeshi said: “A total of N19, 465, 171, 293. 57 was generated locally while N4, 857, 516, 293 ($24, 657, 443) was generated collectively abroad as revenue generated between January 1st 2015 and October 31st 2015.

    “The NIS currently has a total of 29 ongoing projects, including construction of state command headquarters, divisional officers, border control post, Armory and other facilities spread across our formations.”

    On the challenges facing the NIS, Abeshi expressed sadness over poor funding, especially for capital projects, construction of border control plazas and automation of control posts.

    He added: “Over the years, the NIS has also been contending with inadequate manpower for effective manning of formations and platforms nationwide, lack of adequate officers’ accommodation and basic facilities for border patrol officers, flagrant violation of ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons by ECOWAS nationals

    “Improper delineation of borderline encourages unfriendly disposition of border communities to border enforcement officers.”

    Abeshi recommended to government the recruitment of “at least 5000 new officers and men annually into the service for the next five years to ameliorate our perennial challenges of inadequate manpower.”

    Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, warned the officers and men of the NIS to take the issue of border patrol seriously to avoid further smuggling of arms and ammunition into the country.

    He also advised them to shun corruption, adding that the government of President Muhhammadu Buhari would not spare anyone caught involved in corrupt practices.

    On the issue of the repatriated Nigerians from the United Kingdom (UK), the minister cleared the air, saying that only 48 Nigerians were repatriated.

    His words: “I got to read about these issues of repatriated Nigerians from the UK last Wednesday. Immediately I saw that, I alerted the Controller General of Immigration because I had to find out the fact of the report.

    “And from my investigation so far, they are about 48 Nigerians that were repatriated. I understand that this issue has been on in the last 18 months. It is not a new issue and I understand that the British government and Nigeria through the Foreign Affairs high commission and of course the Immigration have been in contact on this matter for some time, to the extent that the Immigration sent some of its officers to UK on this issue.

    “But I have asked the Comptroller General of immigration this afternoon to give me detailed report.

    “The reason for the repatriation, from the brief we got from the airport, is that any expatriate who overstays, he or she pays a fine.

    “I raised an observation myself that I think they should look at the issue again. Somebody can come here and he overstays for three months and within those three months you could do all kinds of things.

    “It may be legal or not, but he gets the most out of it. When he comes to the airport, he can pay the fine.

    “Inasmuch as we would want to encourage people to come here, moving in and out of the country should not be accompanied by unnecessary hardship.

    “And as much as possible too, we want a situation whereby the rules and regulations are adhered to. Our security is a priority.”

  • Abeshi: Immigration generates over N24b in 10 months

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) generated N24, 322, 687, 586. 57 between January 1 and October 31, 2015 from the issuance of passports and visas within Nigeria and abroad, it was learnt yesterday.

    Comptroller General (CG) of the NIS, Martin Kure Abeshi disclosed this in Abuja while briefing Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau on the activities and operations of the service.

    Giving the breakdown of the generated revenue, Abeshi said: “A total of N19, 465, 171, 293. 57 was generated locally while N4, 857, 516, 293 ($24, 657, 443, 11) was generated collectively abroad as revenue generated between January 1, 2015 and October 31, 2015.

    “The NIS currently has a total of 29 ongoing projects, including construction of state command headquarters, divisional offices, border control post, armoury and other facilities spread across our formations.”

    On the challenges facing NIS, Abeshi expressed sadness on poor funding, especially with capital projects involving construction of border control plazas and automation of control posts. “Over the years, the NIS has also been contending with inadequate manpower for effective manning of formations and platforms nationwide, lack of adequate office accommodation and basic facilities for border patrol officers, flagrant violation of ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons by ECOWAS nationals.

    “Improper delineation of borderline encourages unfriendly disposition of border communities to border enforcement officers.”

    Abeshi recommended to government the recruitment of at least “5,000 new officers and men annually into the service for the next five years to ameliorate our perennial challenges of inadequate manpower”.

    Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Rtd) warned the officers and men of the NIS to take border patrol serious and avoid further smuggling of arms and ammunitions into the country.

    He also advised them to shun corruption, adding that the government of President Muhhammadu Buhari would not spare anyone involved in corrupt practices.

    On Nigerians repatriated from the United Kingdom (UK), the minister cleared the air on the 48 Nigerians repatriated.

    He said: “I got to read about the issue of repatriated Nigerians from the UK last Wednesday, so immediately I saw that, I alerted the Comptroller General of Immigration because I have to find out the fact of the report.

  • Security: Immigration to deploy staff to MM2

    The Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) Martin Kure Abeshi Friday disclosed that Immigration officers will be deployed to the new Immigration Control areas at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 Ikeja (MM2) in preparedness for the commencement of international flights on the December 1st, 2015.

    Abeshi made this known at a meeting with Mr. Christopher Pennick, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd, and the operators of the MM2 Terminal at the Airport which use to be solely for local flights.

    Pennick was at the Service Headquarters to brief the CGI on the extent of work done at the Airport to ensure that facilities meet international standards.

    He confirmed that Bi-Courtney has provided well furnished offices for both administrative and operational duties for the Immigration Service and other necessary facilities needed for passengers’ clearance especially in the Departure and Arrival Halls.

    According to a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer and Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Ekpedeme King, the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services have also provided a transit area for interline passengers and a holding area for passengers that may be refused entry into Nigeria and need to be repatriated.

    He therefore used the opportunity to formally request that NIS personnel be deployed in good time for the take-off of the first international flight.

    Pennick said: “I am here this morning to request that you post your staff to the Immigration Counters provided”

    He also said, “Facilities have been designed and produced in a manner to conform to international standards”, while providing seamless transit between international and domestic passengers as well.

    Responding, the immigration boss said that the Service has been monitoring developments at the MM2 since the Federal Government and Bi-Courtney Aviation Nig. Ltd signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and was satisfied with developments.

    Abeshi said: “You have done well and shown seriousness in ensuring that MM2 becomes a model for Airports in Africa. I will deploy well trained officers and men who will offer world class services to passengers at the Terminal. However, for the purpose of effective control; the MM2 operations will be supervised by the Murtala Muhammed Airport Command.”

    According to Pennick, Airlines such as Dana, Aero Contractors and Medview will commence flight using the MM2 to Accra and a few other destinations in West Africa.

    Pennick was accompanied on the visit by Olatunji Olayinka, the Chief Security Officer of MM2.

  • Kogi election: Immigration warns aliens to steer clear

    Kogi election: Immigration warns aliens to steer clear

    The Nigeria Immigration Service in Kogi  State  yesterday warned non-Nigerians  against getting involved  in this  month’s  governorship election.

    The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Baba Zakari, told representatives of Ghanaian and Nigerien nationals resident in the state at a meeting in Lokoja that the poll is strictly a Nigerian affair.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he warned, “You have no right to take part in any elections in this country. If any of you has registered, it is illegal and you should not take part in the election because Immigration officials will be at all the polls.’’

    He added that violators would be promptly apprehended and arraigned accordingly, adding that all the registered political parties in the state had at a meeting with the Police Command pledged to promote free and fair election.

    “The parties were told not to mobilise non-nationals to vote for them.”

    On calls to give temporary travel documents to illegal immigrants to check their activities in the country, Zakari said his office has no authority to issue any resident permit other than relevant travel documents.

    He explained that any immigrant that had no passport or ECOWAS travel document if arrested would be deported immediately.

    Responding on behalf of the foreigners, the president of Ghana Community in the state, Mr Edwin Ansah, pledged that they would not violate the law.

    Ansah, however, urged the service to take measures to check the influx of illegal immigrants who come into the country through illegal routes.

    He recalled that a Ghanaian who dealt in herbal drugs duped someone to the tune of N1.5 million and he (the president) was arrested.

    An alternative measure, he said, is for the service to give temporary documents to illegal immigrants so as to regulate their activities.

  • Immigration boss to staff: Don’t issue passport to terrorists 

    Immigration boss to staff: Don’t issue passport to terrorists 

    Following the unending activities of the Boko Haram sects, Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Martin Abeshi Friday warned officers and men of the service against issuing passports to terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals.

    Abeshi advised the officials to screen passport applicants thoroughly, stressing that the penalty for indiscriminate issuance of passport is stiff, and he vowed that any indicted officer would not be spared.

    He gave the warning at a meeting with top officials including border control and passport officials at the NIS headquarters.

    The immigration boss also directed his men to remove roadblocks at border areas, noting that they could screen foreigners coming into the country without blocking the road with logs and disused tyres.

    His words: “You must not engage in indiscriminate issuance of passports; you know that Nigeria is battling with terrorism now, you must therefore screen passport applicants thoroughly before issuing out passports.

    “It is a security document and it must not be issued to kidnappers, terrorists and other criminals; penalty for doing this is very stiff, don’t say you have not been warned.

    “I don’t also see any reason in the blocking of road by our officers, if you see any foreigner, ask him to alight  from the vehicle, screen him and allow the vehicle to go, there is no need blocking the highway with wood and tyres, the police have stopped roadblock, don’t block the highway in whatever form.”

    Abeshi expressed displeasure over reports of corruption in the service, adding that he was sad anytime he read about the corrupt practices of NIS personnel on the pages of newspapers.

    He emphasized that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corrupt practices from any quarters.

    Abeshi advised officers who are not abiding b the law to desist and follow the right part before they are caught.

    He therefore tasked the senior officers to deal with cases of misconduct and sharp practices by the personnel under them and also advised them to collaborate with other security agencies by sharing intelligence reports with them to make their job easier.

    The Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources, Henry Malgwi, asked the personnel to familiarize themselves with the 2015 NIS Act, noting that any officer caught engaging in malpractices would be handed over to the police for prosecution.