Interior Affairs Minister calls for stronger synergy among NIS, Army, sister agencies for effective border control
Jos – Nigeria
Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has called for stronger synergy among officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Army and sister agencies to ensure effective patrol of the country’s borders.
The minister who was speaking at the 2024 Comptroller of Immigration Conference in Jos on Thursday, with the theme ‘Enhancing Border Security and Migration Management in a Globalised World: Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria, said that since a nation’s security and productivity are directly linked to its border security, a protective border is essential for enhancing internal security.
He said that gone were the days that the NIS has historically been seen as a travel document issuing agency, he however asserted that its primary role should be border control and governance.
The NIS, the minister emphasized, must transit from a reactive to a proactive approach in managing border security.He highlighted the necessity of collaboration between the NIS, Nigerian Customs Service, and the Border Community Development Agency (BCDA) to effectively manage border security, stressing that the interdependence of these agencies is crucial for national security.
He said, “Yes, Nigeria has a border of 4,047 kilometers. But that is not the problem to me. The main problem that we have in our border is not the length of our border.
“The main problem that we need to solve, which is a complex problem, it is a problem and as well, it could as well be an asset. And that is for us to understand that Nigeria is a country very key in the Sahel, at the same time, very key in the Gulf of Guinea.
“And this is a unique characteristic that only very few countries in the world, like Turkey, has. For you, when you look at the Sahel, there are ten countries in the Sahel.
“Five of the ten countries in the Sahel, they are part of the five poorest, five of the ten countries in the Sahel, they are five of the top ten poorest countries in the world.
“So economic issues will naturally provide a motivation for migration, irregular migration. That is number one. Then number two, that we also have to understand, is the issue of climate change, especially within the Chad Basin, which has caused a lot of crisis, crisis in terms of right-of-way, which is what we call farmer-headers clash and a lot of issues. “So what we are talking about is that as climate change continues to take its toll, immigration service will always be more challenged. We have to understand, you have to prepare for that. That’s definite.
“Two, as much as there’s a bit of instability within neighboring Sahel countries, the immigration service will always be challenged.
“And number three, which is very key, is for you to also look at the GDP. As long as there’s a building of GDP within the Sahel, there will always be issues. As I said, we are a gate. This gate can be for our prosperity. It could be an asset. It could also be a liability.
The minister explained why the federal government had to centralise visa application, saying that it’s to prevent people of interest from entering the country given the precarious security situation in the country.
He added that.the establishment of a command and control center is to enhance real-time monitoring and screening of individuals entering Nigeria and emphasized the integration of technology into visa processing..
He challenged NIS on need for innovative thinking and research and encouraged the agency to adapt to modern challenges and invest in new ideas to remain effective.
The Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs. Kemi Nandap, in her welcome address said that the Conference presents another opportunity for officers and men of the service to re-strategize and collectively work towards taking the NIS to greater heights.
She said that administrative and operational reforms the service had embarked, for example Passport Administration and Control, Visa Regime, Infrastructural Development,Deployment of ICT, Interagency synergy, ECOWAS Heads of Immigration Forum(collaboration), Staff welfare and Human Capital Development, have produced huge impact on Border Governance,
There were goodwill messages from the army, police, office of the National security adviser, Plateau state government and sister agencies.
The 2024 Comptroller General conference is with the theme ‘Enhancing Border Security and Migration Management in a Globalised World: Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria
