Isaiah Eka

The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, on Thursday inaugurated Forward Operation Base (FOB) to enhance border security in Akwa Ibom.

Babandede, during the inauguration in Afaha Offiong, Nsit Ibom Local Government Area near Uyo, said the base would take care of border areas within the axis to check illegal immigrants.

He said that the border must be fully secured to avoid influx of unknown persons that might undermine the security of the country.

Babandede said that the Immigration Service had been able to effectively man the borders to ensure that undesirable elements were tracked.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service does not only service our borders but also monitor what happens within.

“Our borders to some extent are porous and there are undesirable elements that will want to pass through the borders but the immigration officers are able to track them,” he said.

The NIS boss said he was in support of the calls in some quarters for the regulation of the social media in the country.

According to him, the social media is good but is now being manipulated by criminals for the wrong reasons.

On fake recruitment, Babandede, warned the public to be wary of fraudsters manipulating the social media to deceive innocent people.

He emphasised that recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service was not for sale, saying, “I assure you that we will continue to do our job as according to the law’’.

He noted that recruitment was very contentious and assured the local government chairman and paramount ruler that fake recruitment was going on in immigration and all security agencies, saying, “ you will see a lot of fake websites’’.

“The social media is a good tool, but it is a great opportunity for criminals to do lot of things.

“That is why we recommend as law enforcement agencies that there should be something to sanction the social media.

” I saw a fake website advertising new recruitment. When we are recruiting, we publish it in newspapers, we announce it officially.

“We have arrested many people including our officers, who claimed to be selling recruitment and we hand them over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission.

“So, there is no recruitment, recruitment is not for sale,” Babadende said.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari and said that there was no government that has ever invested in security than the present administration.

“There has never been a time a government has shown interest in the Nigeria Immigration Service like this time. A lot of investment in border security because a safe nation is a nation that has a safe border,” he said.

In his remarks, Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, commended the Immigration Service for proper monitoring of the country’s borders.

Emmanuel, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, applauded the synergy among security agencies in the state, stressing that whoever was a criminal posed a threat to the army, police, Immigration and other security agencies.

He called on continuous synergy among all security agencies for proper information sharing to nib crimes in the bud.

The governor commended Babandede for instituting an ICT based platform that created online and real-time synergies to ensure rapid response on the part of relevant agencies.

“This means that Immigration Service is not an analogue service because there is one thing about security, the longer the time when the crime is committed and when the perpetrators are picked, the worse for the society.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, NIS, Akwa Ibom Comptroller, Mr Kolawole Amao, said the facility was not only contemporary, but also a tonic for officers and men for efficient service delivery.

Amao said that the FOB was equipped with three units’ fully furnished portal carbins and quarters with air conditioners for senior officers as well as five units fully furnished portal cabins for junior officers.

“These facilities are therefore not only contemporary, but also a tonic for officers and men, for efficient service delivery,” Amao said. (NAN)