Mohammed-Babandede-NIS
Immigration boss
2019
Mohammed-Babandede-NIS
Immigration boss
2019 Elections: NIS to Secure Borders-
Communique
The 2018 Comptroller-General Annual Conference with the theme:
“Enhanced Border Security and Controlled Irregular Migration: A
Panacea for Internal Security Challenges” and attended by very
senior serving and retired officers of the Nigeria Immigration
Service (NIS) as well as relevant stakeholders was held between
Monday, 12h – Wednesday, 14h November, 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno
State.
2. In his welcome address, the Comptroller General of
Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, MFR thanked the government and
good people of Borno State for accepting to host the Conference
while reiterating that the choice of Borno is strategic and that,
Border Security which is the fulcrum of the Conference should be
seen as everybody’s business.
3. Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Interior, Lt.
Gen. (rtd) Abdurahman Bello Dambazau PhD CFR represented by the
Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Umar Tambuwal enjoined
the management of the NIS to use the opportunity of the Conference
to cross fertilize ideas with a view to coming out with ways to
tackling Border Security challenges.
4. The Conference was declared open by His Excellency, Alhaji.
Kashim Shettima, Executive Governor of Borno State who appreciated
the management of the NIS for the choice of Borno State as Venue
for the 2018 Conference. He also enjoined the NIS and indeed other
stakeholders to sustain the collective fight against trans-border
criminal activities. The event provided a veritable platform for
senior Officers of the NIS and relevant stakeholders to critically
appraise the role of the Service in the Border Security
architecture of the nation with a view to fashioning out strategies
for a more effective and efficient Border Management regime.
OBSERVATIONS
5. The event which was held in Plenary Sessions and Syndicate
Groups made the following observations:
a. That the choice of Borno State as venue of the 2018 Conference
is very strategic to border management and goes to affirm that
peace is gradually returning to the State.
b. The critical role of Border Communities in Border Security
management and the need for mainstreaming other relevant
stakeholders.
c. The need to strike a balance between Border Security and
facilitation without compromising national security.
d. The role of NIS in the enforcement of ECOWAS Protocols on Free
Movement of Persons and transhumance across borderlines.
e. That changes in attitudes, improved skills, commitment,
patriotism and the fight against corruption on the part of Border
Officials as well as inter-agency synergy are necessary for
achieving border security strategies.
6. RESOLUTIONS
After exhaustive deliberations on the various paper presentations
and exchange of views among the participants, the Conference
resolved that:
(i) Within the framework of its statutory mandate, the NIS is
committed to supporting the Government in making the Borders safe
and secure to ensure the success of the forthcoming 2019 General
Elections;
(ii) The NIS will establish Information Centres at Border
Communities as a deliberate and constructive engagement strategy
while also impressing on Governments at all levels as well as the
organized private sector to develop border communities to mitigate
trans-national criminal activities;
(iii) To enhance effective border control and management, the
current efforts at automating our border control operations,
particularly the biometric visa regime would be vigorously pursued
to cover all strategic borders;
(iv) The NIS will intensify efforts to fully understand its role
with a view to enforcing the ECOWAS Protocols on Free Movement of
Persons and Transhumance and also ensure that it constantly strikes
a balance between border security and facilitation;
(v) NIS will fully comply with the Presidential Executive Order on
Ease of Doing Business and transparency in processes and
procedures.
7. CONCLUSION
Consequent upon the above, the Conference reasoned and believed
that there is no better time than now to begin to come up with
strategic approaches to contend with the myriad of challenges
currently posed by migratory realities. The Nigeria Immigration
Service is therefore, resolved to embark on robust technological
upgrade, inter-agency and international synergy, capacity building
and improved interfaces with all strategic stakeholders, especially
members of border communities to enhance border security and
improved service delivery. The NIS management and other Conference
participants sincerely appreciate His Excellency, President
Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR as well as the Honourable Minister of
Interior for their enormous support towards repositioning the NIS
to further deliver on its mandate. The hospitality and kind
assistance of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State
as well as the good people of the State are also commendable for
making the 2018 Conference a huge success.
DCI Sunday James
Spokesperson NIS