The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has been ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari to increase border security both before and after the 2018 elections.
This was announced by the interior minister, Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday in Katsina, during the inauguration of the service's Katsina State headquarters.
“The order from President Muhammadu Buhari is that between now and the time we will conclude elections, you must make sure our borders are secured.
“You must make sure that our borders are perfectly secured from illegal immigrants who may want to come in to create problems during elections, or illegally participate in the elections.
“The service should live up to the directives of Mr President,” he said.
The minister also tasked them with ensuring the documentation of all migrants.
Aregbesola said that Katsina State had 400 kilometres of border lines and 14 border positions which the service needed to protect.
He said that the government was upgrading the capacity of the NIS to effectively control the nation’s borders.
“We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 surveillance of the 5,000 kilometres border lines.
“We have already awarded the contract, so, very soon, the Comptroller-General, from his office, will be able to see what is happening anytime at any border point,” he said.
In his remarks, Gov. Aminu Masari, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Muntari Lawal, commended the NIS for the project and affirmed the administration’s readiness to support the service to secure the nation’s borders.
Also speaking, the State Controller, Mr Bello Garba, who reiterated the commitment of officers and men to their responsibilities, said that the service currently had 688 officers and men across the state.
He listed key functions of NIS including the issuance of travel documents to qualified Nigerians, controlling the movement of migrants after entering, and preventing illegal migrants from coming in.
Other functions include warding off persons seeking to come into Nigeria through illegal routes, and apprehending human traffickers.(NAN)