The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday, unveiled it’s National Border Strategy 2019 to enhance national security.
Comptroller-General of the Service, Mr Muhammad Babandede presented the document in Abuja, with stakeholders in the sector in attendance.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
He said that the strategy would also help in contributing to national economic development, reinforcing social harmony and ensuring migrants’ human rights and the protection of vulnerable migrants.
“The NIS National Boarder Management Strategy (NBMS) 2019 to 2023 articulates a renewed five-year vision and institutional approach to border management in Nigeria.
” This is within the scope of the Nigeria Immigration Service,” Babandede said.”
Babandede explained that when the borders were safe, it would result into a safe nation.
“So the document has addressed the issue of national security, border security and addressed border as a means of trade.
“It will ensure transparency; it will reduce corruption, it will help to ensure that human rights are protected and we will ensure that smugglers and traffickers are not allowed to leave or enter our country.”
House Committee Chairman on Interior, Nasir Daura said that the house committee would ensure that the NIS was given the necessary support to ensure smooth implementation of the policy.
He said the document would help to provide the requisite protection that could ensure the respect and dignity of human rights.
” As a committee we will make the Nigeria Immigration Service more effective by providing the necessary budgetary support to better manage the borders.”
In her remark, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed said that the effective implementation of the strategy depended on dynamic institutional framework and robust political backing.
Ahmed was represented by a staff of the project office (migration) Mr Ekom Umoren.
She said that the surge in transnational crimes, irregular migration, trafficking and other illicit activities would be tackled in line with national development goals as contained in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERPG).
