President Buhari tasks immigration to improve border security
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to tighten security around the nation’s border by improving surveillance and control.
According to the Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad on his Twitter account, he said the President in his speech at the virtual inauguration of the NIS Technology Building directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to improve surveillance and control around the nation’s borders.
He also revealed that the NIS has also been directed to double efforts at ensuring that criminal elements don’t find Nigeria as a haven to hide and perpetuate their criminality.
He instructed all security agencies to raise their performance in protecting lives & property, with a mandate that Nigeria’s Global Security Index must be improved.
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According to the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina said the president in his inauguration speech titled “President Buhari directs Immigration Service to tighten security around borders, urges security outfits to raise performance.” promised that his regime will give the needed support for their operations.
He also urged the NIS to collaborate with international security organisations like INTERPOL in safeguarding the borders.
He said, “As a security agency, I charge you to be relentless in carrying out your statutory duties of keeping our borders safe while you ensure that criminal elements don’t find Nigeria as a safe haven to hide and perpetuate their criminality.
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“I urge you to actively collaborate with international security organizations like the INTERPOL, in safeguarding our borders. Remember that a safe border is a prerequisite for a safe nation.
“You must develop strong working relationships and ties with the international community and friendly nations as it relates to migration management; adopt and implement workable strategies from them while also sharing your best practices.
“Frontline workers and operators should remember that they are our windows to the world. They must show the best face of Nigeria at all times.”
The President commended the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, for consistently pushing for the completion of the Technology Building, which will serve as the Command and Control Centre of the NIS, as well as the repository of personal data of Nigerians and expatriates resident in Nigeria.
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“This is in line with the vision of our administration to formulate and implement policies that will protect and enhance the lives and standards of living for Nigerians.
“This administration is relentless in its avowed desire to create an enabling business environment that will usher in an economic boom for Nigerians and all those who do business with and in Nigeria,” he said.
Buhari also congratulated all officers and men of the NIS for their dedication and work towards changing into a World Class Migration Management Agency.
In his remarks, Aregbesola was quoted as assuring all that the security challenges facing the country are temporal and surmountable, pointing out that the “weakest link’’ had been the land borders and the Technology Building will play a pivotal role in the control of illegal migration.