The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Immigration Service

  • NIS repatriates 450 illegal immigrants in Edo

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said on Tuesday it has repatriated at least 450 illegal immigrants from Edo in the first quarter of the year.

    The Comptroller of Immigration in the state, Mr. David Adi, disclosed this at the presentation of a refurbished Hilux van by the Management of Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc to the command in Benin.

    Adi said those repatriated were mainly from Niger Republic, Mali and Ghana, adding that they were “irregular immigrants’’ and security risks to the country.

    He said the affected foreigners had no regular travel documents and credible means of livelihood.

    Adi commended Okomu Oil Palm Company for the vehicle, saying the gesture would help the command in achieving its statutory duties.

    “The company had sunk a borehole at our outpost station at Iguobazuwa in Ovia South West local government area of Edo.

    “The command additionally requested for the company’s assistance in refurbishing the van and the managing director agreed.

    “We appreciate the long-standing relationship between the company and the command.

    “I will definitely pass on this gesture to the Comptroller-General of Immigration Service and I hope other stakeholders will emulate this good gesture, ’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Managing Director of Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Dr. Graham Heifer, had said the gesture was the company’s way of fulfilling part of its corporate social responsibility to NIS to enhance its operational efficiency.

    “Immigration service has always assisted us in the area of educating our expatriates to ensure that they do the right thing with regard to immigration laws,’’ Heifer said.

    NAN

     

     

  • NIS recruitment: Only 1,112 vacancies available, says minister

    NIS recruitment: Only 1,112 vacancies available, says minister

    The ongoing recruitment in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will only accommodate 1,112 applicants based on the approval given by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Minister of Interior, Lt.Gen. Abdulrahaman Dambazzau, (rtd) revealed this on Monday in Abuja, shortly after the presentation of the handbook on the operations of the Presidential Executive Order at the NIS headquarters.

    Sources at the Federal Ministry of Interior said that more than 40, 000 applicants had already applied for the advertised NIS jobs.

    But the Minister said the recent advertisement by the Nigerian Immigration Service was to recruit the balance of 1,112 candidates to make up the 2000 earlier approved in the last aborted recruitment.

    “There were two aborted Immigration recruitment that were done. The first one led to fatality and casualties. The second one was dispersed following discovery of so many abnormalities which two thousands of them were sent home.

    “When we came in November 2015 we looked at the whole thing and we discovered for the second one that it was not all the faults of the candidates as such but it was the process that was followed.

    “So, we wrote a memo to Mr President that we should recall those candidates, 2000 of them, so that we can reassess them and the President graciously approved that and we advertised in papers and I think about 1,500 or so reported and out of this number 888 qualified for that recruitment. Now the balance of 1, 112 is what we are working on now, that is the reason of the recent advertisement by the Nigerian Immigration Service to recruit that balance of 1,112 and this is the process we are in now.”

    The minister however, assured that the recruitment process will be transparent and accountable.

    Also speaking during an interview with newsmen, the NIS Comptroller General Muhammed Babandede, said under his leadership, competency of the personnel would be given priority instead of number.

    He said: “We know we need personnel but we are making sure that the personnel are doing their job well. I’m not worried about numbers now, we want quality number. We have officers in state and everywhere working and we want to make good use of them to work very hard but the recruitment is ongoing he Minister has told you.

    “We are going to recruit young officers with priority of those who speak foreign languages such as French, Chinese, Arabic with priority to those who have ICT skills. We are complying with the national level to train quality and not just number.”

  • NIS rescues 16 kids from child labour in Ekiti

    The Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued 16 children who are being used for child labour in the last one year.

    The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mrs. Remi Talabi, revealed that some of the rescued children are being used for prostitution.

    Of the 16 rescued kids whose ages range between four and 16 years, only one of them was male while the rest were females.

    The immigration comptroller disclosed this when a group that adopted two children in Ekiti 12 years ago, the Boots Family from the Netherlands, visited her in office in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

    Joshua, 18, and Victor, 14, were adopted in October 13, 2015 and taken to Netherlands after the death of their mother.

    The Boots Family was led to the immigration comptroller’s office by the Director of Social Welfare in Ekiti, Dr. Ayodele Ibikunle.

    Talabi said, “When children are trafficked, they are transported illegally. They are also subjected to inhuman treatment because they know they can’t come out.

    “Within this year alone, we have rescued 16 children from where they were being used for hard labour.

    “When they are supposed to be in school, they would be washing plates, doing sorts of work and probably will be the last to go to bed.

    “The sad thing is that people are going beyond child labour, they are using them for prostitution. We will keep fighting this until we record all round success.”

     

     

  • Immigration repatriates 18 to Niger

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Niger said it has repatriated 18 immigrants to Niger Republic.

    The Immigration Comptroller in the state, Mrs. Tamuno Oyedeji disclosed this in Minna on Saturday.

    She said the Service and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development provided vehicles for the transportation of the illegal immigrants to Zangon Daura, a border post in Katsina State.

    She also said the immigrants were handed over to the Niger Republic immigration officers at the border post.

    Adedeji said the immigrants were repatriated because they did not have valid documents, adding that their presence constituted security threat to residents of the state.

    “They did not have legal valid documents to back their staying here, hence the need for us to send them back to their country,’’ she said.

    The comptroller said the command would continue to adopt proactive security measures to ensure the safety of all residents of the state.

    NAN

     

  • Court dismisses Immigration officer’s ‘stagnation’ suit

    The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Monday dismissed an alleged denial of promotion suit filed by an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Chief Supt. Daniel Makolo.

    The suit filed against the Head of Service of the Federation, was dismissed because it was filed out of time.

    Makolo instituted the suit over alleged denial of promotion since 1992.

    In his ruling, the judge, Justice Edith Agbakoba, said there was merit in the respondent’s arguments that the claimant had filed the suit “off time.”

    This ruling followed the preliminary objections filed by the HoS and the NIS, challenging the competence of the court to hear the suit.

    She also held that promotion was not automatic or a right, saying it is a privilege.

    According to Agbakoba, there is no merit in the claimant’s argument of the “continuous injury” he complained about.

    “The suit is incompetent and statute barred, the matter is hereby struck out and dismissed.

    “I make no order as to cost,’’ the judge ruled.

    The claimant was seeking elevation to the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration.

    Makolo prayed the court to compel his employers to promote him to the rank of Deputy Comptroller General, which he claimed to deserve.

    Other respondents listed in the suit are the NIS, the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Chairman of ICPC and the Minister of Interior.

    The aggrieved officer alleged that the respondents “unjustly’’ denied him promotion over the years by keeping him in “limbo.’’

    NAN

  • FG to resuscitate Immigration surveillance aircrafts

    FG to resuscitate Immigration surveillance aircrafts

    The Federal Government said it would refurbish three grounded Nigeria Immigration Service surveillance aircraft to boost security at the nation’s borders.

    ‎The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau,‎ stated this on Thursday when he inspected the Service’s air patrol base in Kaduna.

    He said that due to paucity of funds the government had settled for the option of refurbishing the planes instead of buying new ones.

    Dambazau said that the rehabilitation of the aircraft would be completed before the end of 2017.

    He explained that purchasing a new patrol aircraft would cost at least five million dollars, “which is very expensive at this point in time considering the myriad of challenges confronting the country’’.‎
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    ‎He stressed that the need for air surveillance to complement land border patrols to effectively secure the nation’s borders.

    The minister said that due to the old model of the aircrafts, there would be need to upgrade them with modern facilities like the night patrol vision cameras and area mapping and surveillance cameras for effective service.

    “‎We are looking at all possible ways to upgrade these aircraft before the end of the year.‎
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    “We cannot effectively secure our expansive and porous borders which spans over 4,500 kilometres without the use of these aircraft,” he said.

    Dambazau said that apart from border management, the aircraft when operational would also help check cross-border crimes such as terrorism, drugs trade and human trafficking.

    He said that security measures currently being taken by the government were part of plans to secure the nation and attract foreign investors to the country.

    Earlier, the Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, said that effective air and land border patrols were imperative for securing the nation from terrorism and other trans-border crimes.

    He said that apart from resuscitating the patrol aircraft, the service was also intensifying its land patrols with sophisticated vehicles and bikes to protect the nation’s borders.

    Babandede said that the NIS had started the process of re-training its pilots, engineers and border patrol officers in line with international best practice. ‎

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three grounded aircraft were Dornier 228 types, configured for mission patrols and equipped with on board stabilized long range observation system and aerial cameras.

    However, most of the components of the aircraft such as the surveillance cameras, monitoring gadgets and tyres have become obsolete and non-functional due to lack of maintenance.

     

  • FG inaugurates ultra-modern passport office in Abuja

    The Minister of Interior, retired Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, has inaugurated an ultra-modern Passport office complex at Gwagwalada for the FCT, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Command.

    The minister promised Nigerians ‎that similar passport offices would be inaugurated across the country in the nearest future.

    He said that the measure was to reduce the stress and inconveniences being faced by applicants who hitherto travelled to Abuja from their various locations for resolution of passport-related issues.

    “This inauguration is in‎ line with the decentralisation policy of passport offices by the Nigeria Immigration Service,” he said.

    Earlier, the‎ Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr. Muhammad Babandede, had pledged to ensure improved training for passport officers to ensure better service delivery.

    He also warned them against corruption and exploitation of those applying for passports, insisting that those found culpable would face the full wrath of the law. ‎

    However, there have been cases of delays and exploitation of Nigerians seeking to get or renew their international passports from the various NIS offices.

     

  • 101 illegal migrants nabbed in Lagos

    101 illegal migrants nabbed in Lagos

    No fewer than 101 irregular migrants were on Tuesday apprehended and arrested by the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

    Those arrested were found around the Lekki Ajah Expressway and its environs, said PRO of the command, Jide Ogungbe.

    According to him, the success of the raid was due to intelligence gathering and the support it got from men of the Police Force.

    The command called on residents to give useful information that will help rid the state of irregular migrants.

  • Owerri, Orlu will be transformed to mega cities – Okorocha

    Owerri, Orlu will be transformed to mega cities – Okorocha

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Tuesday pledged to transform Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe into mega commercial cities before the end of his tenure in May 2019.

    Okorocha made the disclosure in Orlu during the one year anniversary of the opening of Okporo Orlu Electrical/Electronics Market, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Chidi Ibe, the governor said the market was opened to carter for Igbo traders displaced by crisis in the North East.

    He expressed satisfaction that one year after, the level of economic activities had justified the establishment of the market.

    The governor urged the traders to partner with government to further develop the commercial sub-sector, to promote local entrepreneurs and create jobs.

    He commended the market leadership headed by Mr. Emmanuel Ezeanochie and pledged to upgrade infrastructure at the facility.

    Also speaking, the Chairman, Njaba Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Vincent Duru, commended Okorocha for constructing the market and urged businessmen to establish similar markets across the state.

    Duru, a former Deputy Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service and the monarch of Okponakuma community, said several job opportunities abound in the market.

     

  • IGP seeks cooperation of Prisons, Immigration services

    IGP seeks cooperation of Prisons, Immigration services

    The Ag. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has solicited the cooperation of Nigeria Prisons Service and Nigeria Immigration Service in order to ensure a secured and peaceful country.

    The Ag. IGP also disclosed that those who attack recently under the guise of Boko Haram are not Nigerians.

    The IGP while soliciting the cooperation of both services noted that criminal elements arrange activities from prisons, hence the need for intelligence sharing.

    He made this known in Abuja Friday during a visit to the headquarters of both services.

    According to him: “there is need for us to work together in the area of criminal justice system by providing intelligence and in our Joint Operation Centres as the synergy will make Nigeria safer and more peaceful.

    “We need the coordination of security agencies and one way we can achieve that is by having Joint Operation Centre. This is where we will coordinate operation so that we are on the same page and keep all agencies abreast of what is going on.

    “We are the principal security agency but I would request that you deploy at least an officer to be in that centre in order for us to have coordination 24/7 and when we have any challenge, we will face it together in one direction,” he added.

    Continuing on the need for the collaboration, Idris said: “we need to cooperate with you a lot in gathering of intelligence because all over the world, prison services are sources of intelligence especially from criminals and from my years of experience, I know that we have some criminals that arrange criminal activities from prison to those outside.

    “So, that is why those of us who are outside and who are principal policing agents need to work together so that we can ensure that this country is peaceful and safe from criminal activities.

    Commenting on security at the borders, he said; “we need to secure the borders because the challenges in states is very numerous and security challenges are getting high.

    “if borders are secured, then the security within the country will be 50 percent solved. Nigeria has a very expansive border and the challenges we are faced with at the borders can be linked to problematic neighbours who are exporting some of the problems that we are facing in the country.

    Most of the problems we are facing including the recent Boko Haram, if you trace them, you will discover that they are not from Nigeria, they have their linkages to the neighbouring countries and that is why we need to coordinate together to be able to give proper security to this country.

    Responding, the Controller General of Nigeria Prisons Service, Ja’afaru Ahmed said: “Our relationship is a must because police have the power to arrest and prosecute and once you prosecute and it leaves court, then it comes to prison.

    He also said that he has repositioned the intelligence unit of the service and also directed his officers to share intelligence with police officers at Commands and Formations across the country.

    Also speaking, the Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede said: “as law enforcement agencies, we are supposed to work together because if we don’t, there will be chaos.

    “Criminals excel because they work together, exchange ideas together and they also put resources together,” he added.