Akwa Ibom State Government has charged the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, to intensify surveillance on activities of illegal immigrants and human trafficking barons for enhanced safety and security of Nigerians.
Giving the charge, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, while playing host to the Comptroller of the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, CIS George Didel, over the weekend, said the task before the Service was enormous.
The Commissioner, who noted that the operations of the NIS had a lot to do with the protection of lives, emphasised the need for public enlightenment, in order to sensitize the populace on the presence and activities criminal elements in their localities, with a view to making prompt reports to relevant authorities.
Comrade Ememobong who pledged the readiness of his ministry to partner the NIS for greater achievements in the state, said “We will give you free airtime on our Radio and Television Update programmes to enable you enlighten the populace on the negative impact of illegal immigrants and human trafficking. You will also be given a space in our publications – “Akwa Ibom Impact” magazine and “Explore Akwa Ibom” to get the people well informed on how to alert the authorities when they have information about these criminals”.
Acknowledging the feat so far recorded by the Comptroller of the State Command of NIS, the Commissioner maintained that the popular jingle on the airwaves, which says – “When You See Something, Say something”, readily comes into focus, saying all Nigerians must be ready to work with the Immigration Service and other security agencies to fight all forms of criminality in Nigeria, by reporting all nefarious activities, including illegal immigrants, human trafficking, drug peddling, among others.
Earlier, the Comptroller of the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, CIS George C. Didel, said he visited the Ministry of Information and Strategy because “it is a very strategic partner in the successful operation of the NIS, as it superintends over the information machinery of government.”
“You own all the media of information we need in spreading the information about the activities of illegal immigrants and human trafficking that is perpetrated by unscrupulous members of the society”. He said.
CIS Didel observed that being highly endowed with a long coastal line of 129km, natural resources, and also being the second highest in Nigeria in terms of Foreign Direct Investment, “the State is exposed to foreigners like tourists and investors, which makes it expedient for the Immigration Service to rise to the challenges of criminal elements, who might disguise themselves as investors and come into the state without valid immigration papers.”
He said his Command was striving to ensure that any foreigner who comes from other countries into the state to either reside or invest must have valid papers to avoid abuse of quotas and visas and also forestall other criminal activities that could be detrimental to the safety and security of the people.
The Comptroller implored the Commissioner to assist State Command with adequate publicity on all state-owned media, with a view to educating all and sundry on the need to have valid travel documents, which could either be the regular Nigerian passport or the ECOWAS travel certificate.