Immigration denies ordering withdrawal of personnel from country borders

THE Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), David Parradang, has denied reports that directives were given for the withdrawal of the service’s personnel from the country’s borders in Kebbi and Katsina states.

The rebuttal was contained in a statement issued by the spokesperson of the NIS, Chukwuemeka Obua, that Parradang “wish to emphatically state that there is no such circular or directive given to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) nor its personnel at Kebbi and Katsina State Commands”.

The reports according to the Immigration Service is “allegedly credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC)” Lai Mohammed that a verbal directive has been given to the security operatives of the Customs and Immigration to vacate their duty posts on the borderlines across Kebbi and Katsina states.

Obua said contrary to this allegation, Immigration Service is reinforcing the borders of the country and “not contemplating abandoning same for a second. Our officers and men are on 24/7 patrol and surveillance across all the nation’s borders”, he affirmed.

The six-paragraph statement also restated “The Nigeria Immigration Service and indeed other security agencies understand the grave consequences of abandoning the nation’s front-lines and so would never attempt to do so.

“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to disregard and ignore such reports and further advised to give any useful information to ensure the security of our borders and the well being of all Nigerians”.