IMMIGRATION GRADUATES 1,800 OFFICERS AND INTRODUCES NEW ENHANCED E-PASSPORT POINTS

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the completion of its 23rd Pre-Basic Course at the Immigration Training School Kano (ITSK) and Customs Training College Kano (CTC) over the weekend in Kano state.

Isah Idris, Comptroller General of Immigration, urged the graduates to be guided by the trainings they received as well as the agency’s rules of engagement in their behavior.

Idris stated in a statement signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Tony Akuneme, that his administration has continued to demonstrate a significant commitment to human capacity development efforts aimed at ensuring that the Service produces a professional workforce capable of confronting emerging challenges in border security and migration management matters.

The CG, who was represented by the Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) in charge of Human Resource Management, Babangida Usman, who was also the parade reviewing officer, emphasized the need for personnel to avoid compromise in the cause of their duty, especially with the 2023 general elections just around the corner.

“The Service cannot afford to return to the era of nonchalance and arbitrary abuse of duty call,” he said, “which requires commitment and bravery.”

He charged the personnel with remaining apolitical and ensuring that non-Nigerians are not allowed to vote in the election.

According to him, this is the largest batch of graduates the NIS has ever trained at one time, and he praised the commandants at the training schools for their efforts.

Meanwhile, the agency has opened another enhanced electronic passport (e-passport) office in Dawakin Kudu, Kano state, and another in Dutse, Jigawa state, as part of its stride and commitment to easing the challenges of obtaining international passports for the general public.

The CG assured Nigerians that the passport reform process was still ongoing. Sadat Hassan, the Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) in charge of standard passports, represented him at the event.

The executive governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, commissioned the Kano facility at the Farm Centre passport office, expressing delight over the new facility and congratulating the Service on the many achievements recorded in recent times, particularly being the first country in Africa to roll out the enhanced e[1]passport.

The Governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner of Budget, Alhaji Danazumi Grazo, thanked NIS for mentioning the ancient Kano city center.