By Gabriel Ameh
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has pledged to strengthen intelligence gathering, modernise border management and improve public awareness to tackle irregular migration and protect Nigerians from migration-related crimes.
The commitment was announced by the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nandap, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Visa and Residency, Florence Nwanneka, at a stakeholders’ sensitisation and engagement seminar.
The seminar focused on the theme, “Bridging the Information Gap: Promoting Informed, Safe and Regular Migration.”
Nandap said many prospective migrants make risky travel decisions because of misinformation, false promises and limited knowledge of safe and lawful migration procedures.
She warned that these information gaps could expose individuals to human trafficking, migrant smuggling, travel fraud and other dangers associated with irregular migration.
According to her, providing accurate and timely information would help prospective migrants make informed decisions and identify legitimate migration pathways.
She stressed the importance of information and intelligence sharing among relevant stakeholders, noting that improved collaboration would help address the challenges associated with irregular migration.
The NIS chief also reaffirmed the service’s commitment to strengthening its operational capacity through institutional reforms, modern border management technologies, intelligence gathering and improved service delivery.
She disclosed that the service was pursuing technology-driven initiatives, including the deployment of a border control and immigration management system, to strengthen border monitoring and discourage irregular migration.
The service maintained that better access to reliable information, combined with stronger border controls and intelligence-led operations, would help reduce the risks associated with unsafe and unlawful migration.
The initiative highlights the importance of public awareness and cooperation among relevant agencies in preventing migration-related crimes and promoting safer, regular migration.
Source: Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
