The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, has urged personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service to devise innovative means of securing the nation’s vast borders.
Addressing officers and men of the NIS in Abuja on Monday, the Dambazau described border security and management as one of the “greatest challenges’’ facing the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister spoke after decorating a newly-promoted Deputy Comptroller General of Immigration, Juliet Fariku, at the agency’s headquarters.
Damb azzau said: “You know the challenges today particularly in the area of security, in your own case, border security and management.
“This is one of the greatest challenges we have today.
“Our borders are porous; we must find means of ensuring that we always protect our borders against the incursion of criminals.
“Criminals who come in with all kinds of cross-border criminalities such as smuggling of arms, humans and drugs, and of course irregular migration. So, those are the things we must check.”
Dambazau also tasked the NIS personnel on effective implementation of relevant presidential orders on the ease of doing business to move the economy forward.
He said issuance of international passports, visas and other travel documents under the purview of the service must be done within 48-hours.
He said: “Secondly, we must support the government in the area of moving the economy forward.
“You all are familiar with the presidential orders on the ease of doing business. These orders are very important if we must attract foreign direct investment.
“We must protect our borders; we must be able to issue visas on time.
“We must ensure that those who require passport are provided passports within 48 hours.’’
The minister noted that prompt issuance of visas was a key facilitator of movement, which in turn was critical to improvement of the business environment.
Dambazau said: “Business, movement, exit and entry of people is both ways. While we encourage people to move in to invest in our country, we also have business people within our country moving out.
“If we do not facilitate their movement, then we will put them in jeopardy. So, we must support government’s efforts to ensure that these things are done.’’
While congratulating the newly-decorated CGI, Dambazau advised her to brace up for the additional responsibilities that the new rank had placed on her shoulders.
He also stressed the need for the rank and file of the agency to rededicate themselves to national service through commitment, diligence and hard work.
The Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, highlighted some key reform initiatives of the NIS management, including restructuring of the agency for enhanced service delivery.
Babandede enumerated some of the initiatives as creation of new focused directorates, including the Directorate of Border Management, introduction of Visa of Arrival and launch of new immigration regulations, among others.
The minister later inaugurated a new conference room and about 1km concrete access road, constructed by the NIS at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
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