From Rashidat AbdulRahman, Minna
The Niger State Governor, Umar Mohammed Bago, has charged the Nigeria Immigration Service to intensify efforts to maintain strict migration guidelines for intending entrants into the country.
The Governor, who spoke through his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba on Thursday stated this at the 60th anniversary celebration with the theme: “Enhancing Seamless Regular Migration”, held at Justice Legbo Kutigi Conference Hall.
“Nigeria shares international borders with four countries of Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin Republic, which make us vulnerable to illegal migrants, thereby threatening our security”.
Governor Bago therefore assured NIS of his administration’s support in the discharge of their responsibilities and commended them of sustaining and strengthening the security, as well as prosperity of Nigeria through proactive, effective and efficient border security and immigration management over the years.
Earlier speaking, the State Comptroller of NIS, Niger State Command, Samuel Nongo stated that the journey started as a department extracted from the Nigeria Police in 1958, later established as an agency of government by an Act of Parliament in 1963, adding that it was granted a para-military status following some structural reforms.
He noted that government at all levels must invest in migration management to minimize trans-border crimes and called on citizens to change their orientation to stop harbouring irregular migrants because of the dangers it portends.
Nongo appealed to the state government to look into the state’s architecture with a view to bringing all security agencies on board in tackling the mence of insecurity bedevilling the state.
Dignitaries present at the event include: Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Barr. AbdulMalik Mohammed Sarkin Daji, royal fathers and Permanent Secretaries from various MDAs.
