By Salisu Ibrahim
A former Comptroller of Immigration, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Fagge has advised the Federal Government to improve Immigration Services to curb insecurity in the country.
Dr Mustapha Fagge in a chat with journalists, recommends prioritizing support for Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), enhancing its personnel capacity, and modernizing its operations to ensure national security and prosperity.
NIS, he said, is critical in addressing security challenges and promoting national development among the Nation’s Security Apparatus, hence the need to make the Immigration Service more robust so as to play the vital role in tackling the security challenge head-on.
Over the years, Nigeria has been facing the challenges of boko haram insurgencies, banditry and kidnappings, however, one thing that’s yet to be emphasised is how the immigration service can play a vital role in the fight against all these insurgencies.
According to Dr. Mustapha, there’s serious dangers in relegating Immigration Services to the background, pointing out that while Immigration Service must be among the topmost arms in addressing security challenges in the country, Government ought to support it with adequate funds.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service, is primarily responsible for managing the Nation’s borders, regulating the movement of people while performing critical functions that impact on the nation’s development”, he said.
He said, as the country faces insecurity, proliferation of arms, banditry, terrorism, Boko Haram, and cross-border challenges, the role of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in providing security, regulating entry and stay of immigrants, facilitating economic growth, and protecting refugees, remained paramount.
NIS, regulates entry and stay of individuals, facilitates economic growth and promotes cultural exchange, while protecting refugees and asylum seekers, combating human trafficking and collecting immigration data for policy decisions.
These are tasks requiring funding, expertise and adequate government support, he stressed.
Therefore, in order to ensure national security, economic vitality, and orderly governance, NIS ought to be supported to execute its mandate effectively,he emphasised.