Insecurity: Retired immigration officers reject border guards

By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA — Retired officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, under the National Association of Retired Immigration Officers, NARIO, have rejected calls for the establishment of Border Guards, urging the Federal Government to adequately fund and strengthen the NIS instead. President of NARIO and retired Comptroller, Dr Charles E. Okafor, made the call on Wednesday at the association’s maiden Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Abuja. Speaking on the theme, “Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Autonomy amidst Operational Challenges: Repositioning the Nigeria Immigration Service for Border Security, Revenue Generation, Investment Promotion and Sustainable National Development,” Okafor said the NIS had been weakened by misconceptions about its core responsibilities.

He said the primary mandate of the Service was migration management and border security, rather than merely passport issuance and administration. According to him, the misconception had contributed to the creation of border security units by other agencies and fuelled calls for the establishment of a separate Border Guards structure. He asked the authorities to first address the funding, operational capacity and welfare of NIS personnel before considering the creation of additional agencies. “Some people have even called for the establishment of Border Guards, but no questions are being asked: how much is NIS funded? Why is NIS not optimally effective and efficient? What is the welfare of NIS officers? ” he said. Okafor urged the government to give the NIS a stronger place in the country’s security architecture, stressing that doing so was necessary for effective border management. He also decried what he described as the neglect of serving and retired immigration officers, saying personnel…