THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has again declared zero tolerance for corruption, extortion, and any behaviour that puts the agency in a bad light.
Comptroller General of the Service, Kemi NANDAP, stated this at the flag-off ceremony of the agency’s Fourth Quarterly Nationwide Campaign Against Corruption for Enhanced Service Delivery, yesterday in Abuja.
The CG said that the NIS has set in place a mechanism that has minimised corruption opportunities and extortion, insisting that “Corruption has no place in the Nigerian Immigration Service.”
According to her, over the years, the NIS has continued to strengthen its anti-corruption mechanism to ensure transparency in all its activities.
To reflect this year’s theme, ‘Innovating for Transparency and Efficiency: Strengthening Service Delivery and Combating Corruption through Reforms,’ Nandap said NIS is renewing its collective pact with Nigeria.
“We have minimised opportunities for extortion. Service must be transparent, efficient, and accountable as we build a modern and trusted immigration service,” she pointed.
The CG highlighted the NIS’s commitment to embracing technology to streamline processes, noting that these innovations have led to improved processing timelines and reduced physical interactions.
“Through the expansion of our digital architecture, we’ve automated passport applications and deployed biometric verification at borders.
“Through the expansion of our digital architecture, we’ve automated passport applications and deployed biometric verification at borders,” she explained.
Nandap pointed out that “when systems are designed around transparency, efficiency naturally follows.”
“Currently, we have a call centre and social media channels monitored 24/7 to address citizens’ concerns quickly,” she said.
Nandap added that NIS has also taken steps to combat corruption by enforcing ethical codes and enhancing internal audits, and that digital payment systems have reduced cash-based interactions and opportunities for malpractice.
“Change is difficult, and we must sensitively engage with agencies and citizens about our reforms.
“Service delivery for us at NIS is critical. We are here for Nigerians, and we need your input and suggestions on how to serve you better,” the CG stated.
Speaking on the head of the NIS Accountability and Transparency Unit (ACTU), Ramatu Ahmed-Bashir said the anti-corruption campaign is more than an event; “it is a declaration of who we are and who we must be.”
She observed that the fight against corruption is not fought with words alone, but with systems, and that national security is inseparable from the NIS’ duty to serve with integrity.
“Therefore, let this truth echo in every formation, at every desk, at every border post, Integrity is our strongest security tool.
“Where corruption seeps in, security is compromised. But where integrity is the foundation, service delivery excels, public trust grows, and our nation’s reputation is secured.”
She insisted that for the NIS, “We are an institution at the gateway of Nigeria. Every interaction, every visa issued, every passport renewed, is a brushstroke painting the image of our nation for citizens and the world. We cannot afford to let that image be blurred by distrust.
“The good news is that we are not just talking about change; we are building it.”
The event also included a moment of silence to honour NIS officers who lost their lives in the line of duty — Munguno, Tuga, and Luma — in Borno, Kebbi, and Niger states following attacks by suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP members.
