The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has sought the inclusion of its personnel in joint operations to curb the infiltration of criminal elements into the country through land borders.
Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration in charge of Zone C, Sunday James made the call while interfacing with Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
The ACG who charged through the risky Maiduguri-Damaturu highway with only two vehicles, expressed satisfaction with the way Nigerian security forces were discharging their constitutional duties of ensuring that the two insurgency-affected states are safe and secured.
“I want to beg His Excellency that, let there be joint operation, because the military and the police alone cannot fish out non-Nigerians because this is our purview.
So, in the next security meeting, if it is possible, I want this to be part of the discussion that there must be a joint operation between our officers because they are tested officers as most of them have been in the Joint Task Force, JTF.
“So, if they are not given the opportunity to use their skills and training to be able to fish out some of these elements whom we quite believe may be infiltrating our country, particularly in this material time when there is a problem in Niger Republic and now Chad has followed”, he said.
ACG James changed officers and men of the service on the need to work hand in hand with state governments to improve security.
He also informed the Governor that, NIS is planning to organise a 3-day Northeast Border Security Summit scheduled to be held from 14th to 16th May 2024 where issues bothering trans-border crimes, drug and human trafficking are expected to dominate discussions.
Governor Buni while responding, admitted that the border between Nigeria and Niger Republic is porous as a result of which criminal elements are taking advantage of the situation to infiltrate the country.
He assured the ACG that the Yobe State government and the service would deliver on its mandate.
“We will support you as a government on behalf of our people to ensure that our people are secured”, he assured.
Buni told the visiting ACG that the service needs to work closely with traditional institutions in securing the nation’s borders.
