Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said it would shut the
doors against using foreign migrants from neighbouring countries in next year’s
election.
The Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI) Isah Idris made
the pledge on Thursday at a meeting with top management staff of the Service,
Zonal Coordinators, and Comptrollers of Commands/Formations at the Service Headquarters
in Abuja, where the operational briefing was given as part of preparatory
activities for the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
A press statement by the spokesman of the NIS, Amos Okpu,
said during the meeting, the CGI reiterated the government’s commitment to a
free and fair electoral process for the 2023 general elections and charged
Heads of Commands and Formations across the country to upscale surveillance
activities in all locations including Border Crossing Points to ensure successful
elections.
He directed the activation and deployment of all the
service’s migration management and border security assets to ensure that
ineligible persons, particularly migrants, are not allowed to participate in
the nation’s electoral process.
The CGI said: “To this end, I hereby direct that regular
meetings with all the migrants’ communities in the country be intensified to
sensitize them on the need for them to stay away from participating in the
nation’s electoral process for the 2023 general elections.
“Divisional Immigration Officers (DIOs) across the 774 Local
Councils in the country have been directed to deepen surveillance and
engagements with the migrant communities in their areas to ensure that no
migrant gets involved in the elections.”
He revealed that the Service has recently intercepted and
confiscated some voter cards from certain migrants, warning that stiff
sanctions await any migrant attempting to participate in the nation’s electoral
process.
Idris while stressing the Service’s ethical obligation and
commitment to maintain political neutrality in the discharge of statutory
duties, said “as Para-military Officers, we are prohibited from political
partisanship before, during and after the elections. Therefore, the Service is
seizing the opportunity to sensitize its Personnel through their respective
Comptrollers on the need for them to remain apolitical before, during and after
the elections as members of the Service.”
He enjoined all personnel to be alive to their
responsibilities, warning that any infractions or unprofessional conduct
before, during, and after the elections will attract severe sanctions.
The CGI further called for constructive and patriotic
engagements among all agencies, stressing that synergy and collaboration with
stakeholders are essential to optimally discharge responsibility toward
building a better Nigeria of our collective dreams.
According to the statement, the CGI had earlier led top
management to the foundation laying and groundbreaking ceremony of the Head
Office of the Nigeria Immigration Service’s Multipurpose Cooperative Society
(NIMCOS) at the NIS Headquarters, Abuja, where he charged the executive of the
association to live up to its ideals of improving the welfare of officers and
men in line with the welfare thrust of his administration.
The building, on completion, will serve as the
administrative office of the Cooperative Society.
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