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Tag: Kemi Nandap

  • Immigration CG visits Kebbi, assesses checkpoint attack, meets stakeholders

    Immigration CG visits Kebbi, assesses checkpoint attack, meets stakeholders

    The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, has concluded a two-day working visit to Kebbi State following the recent attack on the Bakin Ruwa checkpoint, where personnel and facilities of the Service were affected.

    Nandap arrived in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, December 3, and proceeded to the office of the Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, at about 6:30 p.m.

    She thanked the state government for its support to immigration personnel, particularly those deployed to border areas, and explained that her visit was to commiserate with officers and men of the Service, as well as the people of Kebbi State, over the tragic incident. 

    She also said she was in the state to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the destroyed facilities.

    The Deputy Governor, in his response, condoled with the Service and assured that the administration of Governor Nasir Idris would continue to prioritise security. He added that the state would ensure that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice.

    The Comptroller General and her delegation later visited the Emir of Gwandu, Maj.-Gen. (Dr.) Muhammed Ilyasu Bashir (retd.), at his palace. 

    Nandap commended the Emir for his leadership, describing the traditional institution as a vital bridge between government and the people. The Emir thanked her for the visit and prayed against a recurrence of such attacks.

    As part of the visit, Nandap held a strategic meeting with comptrollers and border commanders. 

    She charged them on the need to be on high alert on their primary responsibilities.

    On Thursday, December 4, at about 11 a.m., the Comptroller General visited the Bakin Ruwa checkpoint for an on-the-spot assessment. She inspected the damage and received a briefing from officers on the ground.

    Nandap addressed personnel at the checkpoint, assuring them of the Service’s full support. She also met community leaders who had gathered at the site, urging them to continue cooperating with security agencies in tackling banditry.

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    Speaking to journalists, she said the Federal Government and the Minister of Interior had been fully briefed on the incident and were committed to providing necessary assistance and logistics to strengthen border security.

    “I’m here to visit the scene of the incident that occurred where we lost three officers. My presence here is also to underscore the fact that what happened is very disturbing. It’s also to let Nigerians know the Nigeria Immigration service and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu take the welfare and safety of our officers very seriously. And also to assess the damage, and more importantly to meet with the officers on ground. It’s to also let the officers know that their safety & welfare is priority for myself, the minister of interior, and indeed the federal government of Nigeria. I have also come to engage the community leaders and let them know that we need their support to strengthen our operational response. I’ve also considered it needful to make it clear that what happened was not just an assault on NIS, it’s an assault on Nigeria’s sovereignty, legal border governance and the collective security of this nation. 

    “And we will not take it likely. We will make sure that the perpetrators of this act are brought to book. I want to thank the kebbi state governor for his continued support for the service. And to the families of our lost officers, we want to let them know that the service and federal government is solidly behind them and will do the needfuls to support them. In NIS, I want to Reaffirm that we remain undaunted. And will continue to defend our borders and the sovereignty of our country. Our determination is now renewed to keep our borders safe in service to our nation. I know that we have the support of the minister for interior, National security adviser and the president to get more needed facilities to deliver on our job”.

    She added that the attack would not deter the Service from fulfilling its mandate of protecting Nigeria’s borders.

  • Kemi Nandap: Steadily redefining what is possible for women in public service

    Kemi Nandap: Steadily redefining what is possible for women in public service

    By Tayo Williams

    In a universe that has not always made space for women, Mrs. Kemi Nana Nandap, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, has boldly taken up a prominent space for herself by excelling in an era and sector where everyone seems to understate the role and worth of a driven woman. 

    Nandap’s story evokes brilliant manifestations of zeal and determination because, in the course of her professional trajectory, she had been thrown into the deep end of the ocean and told to swim and, through sheer will, she safely got to shore. She had also been put in the night sky and told to shine and the halo she emitted literally illuminated the universe.

    Without a doubt, Nandap is one of those rare people who see a vision and immediately understand its power by summoning all their energy, courage, conviction, and drive to make a difference, break glass ceilings, and show that greatness can come from an unlikely place. And she is doing so, and much more, with guts and gusto while redefining what is possible for women in public service. 

    Yet, she has been at the helm of the NIS for only a year. Interestingly, her appointment was not a cosmic roll of the dice. It was borne out of a firm and proven conviction that Nandap, born on June 3, 1966, in Zaria, Kaduna State, possesses the ingenuity, mojo, experience, and expertise to achieve President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for the immigration ecosystem.

    Nigeria has a porous border problem, which threatens her territorial integrity in no small measure. Over the past decade, unbridled movements from neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad, and Cameroun among others have significantly contributed to the rise in terrorism, banditry, smuggling, and organised crime especially in the North. The president is an unabashed advocate of free movement in Africa for the advancement of trade and integration, but not when it comes at the expense of national security. 

    Thus, there was an urgent need for innovation and reform in immigration management, which left no room for the president to dither or pander to bureaucratic or political sentiments. He reckoned that the prospective candidate must be one that could help to deepen the ongoing reforms in the service, create a robust mechanism for efficient and dedicated service delivery to Nigerians, and strengthen Nigeria’s security through proactive and effective border security and migration management.

    Being a renowned and accustomed talent spotter, President Tinubu zeroed in on Nandap to succeed Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, who had reached the statutory retirement age. Until February 2024 when the president announced her appointment, Nandap was the Deputy Comptroller-General overseeing the Migration Directorate and had spent over three decades in the NIS serving in various strategic commands.

    It was a pressure cooker job crucial to Nigeria’s safety and would task the most intrepid individual, but Nandap is no wimp or shrinking violet. In less than one year in office, the Biochemistry graduate of the University of Ilorin is lending credence to what the world already knows about President Tinubu as a man who spots goldmines where many see landmines while steadily rejuvenating and repositioning the service. 

    Upon her appointment, the new CG affirmed her resolve to strengthen policies aimed at preventing irregular migration and safeguarding the lives of citizens while highlighting the importance of fostering positive bilateral relations and tightening border security to enhance national security.

    “Our focus will be on fostering unity, driving growth, and advancing development. We are steadfast in our resolve to strengthen policies to prevent irregular migration, safeguard the lives of our citizens, and foster positive bilateral relations. We will tighten our border and security will be a key objective to reduce the porosity of our borders and enhance the overall national security of our nation because a safe border is a safe nation,” CG Nandap stated.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Tinubu appoints Nandap as Comptroller-General of Immigration

    A few months into her stewardship, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the supervising minister of the NIS, said significant progress had been made in border security, specifically mentioning the completion of the first phase of the e-border solution, which covers 40 percent of Nigeria’s borders. He added that new vehicles and e-gates were also deployed to ensure effective border control critical to maintaining a secure nation. 

    Nandap’s administration has introduced e-response channels for faster, seamless, and real-time engagements with Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora while strengthening international partnerships, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and enhancing operational capacity in border security and migration management. 

    Under her stewardship, 137 human trafficking victims were rescued while 42 migrant smuggling operations were disrupted. Recently, a series of coordinated operations across three states resulted in the arrest of 155 foreigners for cybercrimes and unauthorised entry into the country. They have since been deported to their various countries in alignment with the government’s efforts to improve border security and protect citizens from illegal activities. Nandap’s catalogue of achievements includes the clearing of over 200, 000 passports backlog and the successful conclusion of the Modernising the Nigeria Immigration Service Workforce (MoNIS) project, which is supported by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the Government of Denmark.

    She said introducing these policies underscores the NIS’s commitment to strengthening its workforce, ensuring equitable career advancement, and fostering an inclusive environment for all officers. By addressing critical issues such as professional development and gender equality, the NIS, she added, aims to enhance operational efficiency, promote diversity, and better serve the nation.

    Within the year under review, Nandap’s leadership acumen was acknowledged on the continent with her emergence as the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Heads of Immigration. Though it is still early in the day to start counting the gains of Nandap’s reforms and leadership, there is a consensus that Nigeria now has a more efficient and competent electronic border security architecture to secure the country effectively. 

    Tayo Williams is a Lagos-based media executive.

  • Immigration CG toured Southwest borders, commits to e-border security, migration management

    Immigration CG toured Southwest borders, commits to e-border security, migration management

    In continuation of efforts to bolster border security and streamline Migration Management, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Kemi Nandap has extended her border assessment tour to Lagos and Ogun States in the Southwest. 

    The tour, according to a statement by NIS spokesperson, KT Udo, is part of the Comptroller General’s fact-finding and sensitisation mission aimed at reinforcing the collective responsibility of securing Nigeria’s vast borders. 

    During the tour, she highlighted the importance of sustained synergy among stakeholders in combating Trans-border crimes.

    In Lagos, the CGIS engaged with key stakeholders, including the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. 

    The discussions were centred around possibilities on how to continuously ease the operations of NIS personnel in the state. The Governor lauded the CGIS’s leadership and expressed readiness to support the Service’s initiatives.

    At Seme Border, Idiroko, as well as Lagos and Ogun State Commands, the CGIS updated officers on new Immigration initiatives. 

    These advancements, she said, were part of the on-going  drive to modernise Nigeria’s Border security infrastructure. 

    She reiterated commitment to officer’s welfare and capacity building, urging them to maintain high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Tinubu appoints Nandap as Comptroller-General of Immigration

    The CGIS held a Joint security meeting with sister-agencies towards enhancing collaboration in intelligence gathering and sharing. 

    She emphasised the vital role of border communities in supporting border security efforts. 

    The tour concluded in Ogun State where the CGIS met with traditional rulers, including the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, HRM Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III, CFR and the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, HRM Oba Prof. Saka Adeola Matemilola. 

    She also met Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele to discuss logistic support and land provision for barracks construction.