By Ibironke Ariyo
The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, has inaugurated Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) Desk Officers across all formations of the Service, describing the move as a decisive step to entrench integrity, transparency and operational excellence.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the C-G said the deployment of ACTU Desk Officers marked a deliberate shift towards building a proactive, grassroots architecture for ethical governance within the NIS.
Nandap said the event was not merely about inaugurating officers, but about institutionalising a culture of accountability that would strengthen the Service’s credibility and performance.
According to her, the Nigeria Immigration Service occupies a strategic position as a critical sentinel at the nation’s gateways, with responsibility for border governance and migration management.
“This trust confers significant authority, and with it, an uncompromising obligation to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and accountability,” she said.
The Comptroller-General warned that corruption was not just an administrative lapse but an existential threat to national security, economic development and Nigeria’s international standing.
She noted that corrupt practices eroded public confidence, weakened the rule of law and created opportunities for transnational crimes, stressing that the fight against corruption was inseparable from effective border governance.
While acknowledging existing codes of conduct and disciplinary mechanisms within the Service, Nandap explained that the establishment of ACTU desks represented a strategic transformation from a largely centralised and reactive approach to a decentralised, preventive and culture-shaping framework.
She described the newly inaugurated Desk Officers as the foundation of this transformation saying “you are not mere additions to the establishment. You are ethical champions, standard-bearers and first responders within your respective formations.”
Nandap said the officers’ selection followed a rigorous process that prioritised proven integrity, courage and sound judgment.
She added that they were expected to serve as accessible and trusted pillars for promoting transparency and addressing misconduct at its source.
She outlined three core pillars that would guide the operations of the ACTU Desk Officers: enlightenment, deterrence and punishment.
On enlightenment, she charged the officers to lead sustained ethical re-orientation through continuous education and awareness programmes across their formations.
This, she said, would involve regular sensitisation on relevant laws, service regulations and ethical standards to promote a culture where integrity was internalised, professionalism became habitual and officers clearly understood the consequences of misconduct.
On deterrence, the CGIS said the Desk Officers would serve as confidential, credible and accessible channels for officers and members of the public to report grievances, misconduct or unethical behaviour.
She stressed that reports must be received discreetly, handled impartially and processed diligently in line with established ACTU procedures, noting that this would discourage unethical conduct and reinforce accountability.
On punishment, she said the Desk Officers would work closely with Command Comptrollers and the ACTU at Headquarters to ensure that proven cases of misconduct were addressed in accordance with extant laws and regulations.
This, she added, included monitoring compliance with transparency initiatives such as the transparent auction of seized items, and enforcing service standards in passport administration, visa processing and border operations to ensure that violations attracted clear and proportionate sanctions.
The C-G also charged Command Comptrollers and Heads of Formations to provide full support to the ACTU Desk Officers to enable them to function without fear, obstruction or intimidation.
She emphasised that the mandate of the Desk Officers was not to undermine command authority but to reinforce it, urging senior officers to see them as partners in building formations defined by credibility and institutional pride.
Addressing the Desk Officers directly, Nandap said they had accepted a responsibility that demanded uncommon moral courage, noting that the task ahead could involve resistance, misunderstanding or moments of isolation.
She urged them to remain resolute, fair, firm and fearless, assuring them of the unequivocal backing of the Service leadership.
“Your integrity is your shield. Do not betray this trust. Act strictly within the law and service regulations,” she said.
She reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to building an institution that commanded the respect of Nigerians and earned the confidence of the international community.
“The ACTU initiative is part of a broader effort to shape a lasting legacy of professionalism, integrity and transparency within the Nigeria Immigration Service. I charge officers to discharge their duties with dedication, courage and honour,” she said.
In his remarks, Olusegun Adeugu, Director, System Study and Review, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), called on the NIS management to continue providing an enabling environment for the ACTU.
This, he said, was by allocating adequate funds, providing office facilities and ensuring representation in standing committees.
He also encouraged the Service to extend invitations to the ICPC during promotion, recruitment and procurement exercises to enhance the credibility and transparency of such processes.
Congratulating the newly appointed ACTU nominees, the ICPC representative urged them to discharge their duties with diligence, integrity and professionalism, and to avoid actions that could compromise their positions or the trust reposed in them.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to sustained collaboration with the NIS, describing the partnership as vital to strengthening accountability, transparency and good governance in the public service and the nation at large.
In his goodwill message, Mr Garba Bello, Director Financial and Investigation, Department of Security Service (DSS), described security as the foundation of national development.
Bello, however, stressed that modern corruption remained a major threat to citizens’ wellbeing and sustainable growth emphasising that security and development were mutually reinforcing and essential for national evolution.
“Security is development and development is evolution. You cannot separate one from the other,” he said.
Bello urged institutions to prioritise enlightenment and knowledge-driven approaches in tackling corruption and insecurity, describing them as essential tools for sustainable peace and development.
In attendance were representative from sister agencies like the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
