In a bid to enhance national security, the Nigeria Immigration Service on Thursday unveiled its National Border Strategy from 2019 to 2023.
The document for the project which was funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Organisation for Migration was presented by the Comptroller-General of the Service, Mr Muhammad Babandede in Abuja with stakeholders in the sector in attendance.
He said that the strategy would also help in contributing to national economic development, reinforcing social harmony and ensuring migrants’ human rights and the protection of vulnerable migrants.
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“The NIS National Boarder Management Strategy 2019 to 2023 articulates a renewed five-year vision and institutional approach to border management in Nigeria.
‘This is within the scope of the Nigeria Immigration Service,” Babandede said.”
Babandede explained that when safe borders translate to safe nation.
‘So the document has addressed the issue of national security, border security and addressed border as a means of trade.
“It will ensure transparency; it will reduce corruption, it will help to ensure that human rights are protected and we will ensure that smugglers and traffickers are not allowed to leave or enter our country.”
House Committee Chairman on Interior, Nasir Daura said that the house committee would ensure that the NIS was given the necessary support to ensure smooth implementation of the policy.
He said the document would help to provide the requisite protection that could ensure the respect and dignity of human rights.
“As a committee we will make the Nigeria Immigration Service more effective by providing the necessary budgetary support to better manage the borders.”
In her remark, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed said that the effective implementation of the strategy depended on dynamic institutional framework and robust political backing.
Ahmed was represented by a staff of the project office (migration) Mr Ekom Umoren.
Juliet Ekwebelam
