Immigration graduates 1,800 officers, unveils more enhanced e-passports points

The Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS), has announced the passing out of its personnel who recently went through its 23rd Pre-Basic Course at the Immigration Training School Kano, (ITSK), and Customs Training College Kano, (CTC), a weekend in Kano state.

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

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

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

He said, “the Service cannot afford to go back to the era of nonchalance and arbitrary abuse of duty call, which demands commitment and bravery.”

He charged the personnel to remain apolitical and ensure non-Nigerians are not allowed to participate in the election exercise.

According to him, this is the largest batch of graduands the NIS has ever trained at a go hence, commended the efforts of the commandants at the training schools.

Meanwhile, the agency has also opened up 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 procuring international passports for the public.

The CG reassured Nigerians that the passport reform process is still a work in progress. He was represented at the event by the Assistant Comptroller General, (ACG), in charge of standard passport, Sadat Hassan.

Commissioning the Kano facility at the Farm Centre passport office, the executive governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, expressed delight over the new facility and congratulated the Service for the many achievements recorded in recent times especially for 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, appreciated NIS for citing the centre within the ancient Kano city.