Following the unending activities of the Boko Haram sects, Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Martin Abeshi Friday warned officers and men of the service against issuing passports to terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals.
Abeshi advised the officials to screen passport applicants thoroughly, stressing that the penalty for indiscriminate issuance of passport is stiff, and he vowed that any indicted officer would not be spared.
He gave the warning at a meeting with top officials including border control and passport officials at the NIS headquarters.
The immigration boss also directed his men to remove roadblocks at border areas, noting that they could screen foreigners coming into the country without blocking the road with logs and disused tyres.
His words: “You must not engage in indiscriminate issuance of passports; you know that Nigeria is battling with terrorism now, you must therefore screen passport applicants thoroughly before issuing out passports.
“It is a security document and it must not be issued to kidnappers, terrorists and other criminals; penalty for doing this is very stiff, don’t say you have not been warned.
“I don’t also see any reason in the blocking of road by our officers, if you see any foreigner, ask him to alight from the vehicle, screen him and allow the vehicle to go, there is no need blocking the highway with wood and tyres, the police have stopped roadblock, don’t block the highway in whatever form.”
Abeshi expressed displeasure over reports of corruption in the service, adding that he was sad anytime he read about the corrupt practices of NIS personnel on the pages of newspapers.
He emphasized that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corrupt practices from any quarters.
Abeshi advised officers who are not abiding b the law to desist and follow the right part before they are caught.
He therefore tasked the senior officers to deal with cases of misconduct and sharp practices by the personnel under them and also advised them to collaborate with other security agencies by sharing intelligence reports with them to make their job easier.
The Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources, Henry Malgwi, asked the personnel to familiarize themselves with the 2015 NIS Act, noting that any officer caught engaging in malpractices would be handed over to the police for prosecution.
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