The Honorable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has enjoined 320 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) operatives made up of 70 officers and 250 ranks, trained to be deployed to the North West to do the nation proud in their assignment.
Aregbesola who spoke at the Immigration Training School, Kano, during the passing Out Parade of tactical operatives trained to support the military in the north west said with the intensive training they were given, he was optimistic that no unwanted element would escape into the country, adding that they should see their duty in the North West as the highest national service to keep the border and the country safe.
The Honorable Minister observed that much had been committed to training them and they should justify same by being professional in all their doing to protect the country from influx and infiltration by irregular migrants as well as other unwanted elements while supporting the Military in the North West.
The Minister observed that the contiguous and homogeneous nature of the border communities, calls for NIS-Border Community relationship to safeguard the borders, thereby guaranteeing safe nation which is the ultimate, through intelligence gathered from community members who would only share information available to them when they have confidence in the operatives and accept them as part of the community not just government official.
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, MFR, emphasized on the need for the officers to avoid compromise in the cause of their duty, reiterating that the Service cannot afford to go back to the era of nonchalance and arbitrary abuse of duty call, which demands commitment and bravery.
The 320 operatives were further charged to put national interest before any other thing to succeed and deliver on the mandate of the Service to the nation.
He observed that the NIS JTF component had been on national assignment since 2009 and demobilised with new sets trained and sent to take charge on routine basis. They are expected to cover about 700 kilometres along the flanks of the neighbouring Cameroun, Niger, Chad, Benin Republic, covering the North East and North West of the Country.
CGI Babandede appreciated the Honorable Minister of Interior for the Ministry’s support and Executive approvals in getting the request of the contingents met, whenever they are deployed to take care of their welfare. He then requested the Honorable Minister to further support the Service in the purchase of more patrol vehicles, uniform, accoutrements among others.
The CGI disclosed that 3,548 junior officers were promoted at the early part of 2020 and in September 2020, 5,321 senior officers had just been promoted for the year 2019 and released in 2020.
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