Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Idris Jere, has stated plans are underway to recruit additional 5000 men into the service
Jere, who said this while fielding questions from newsmen in Dutse on Saturday, said the gesture is geared toward addressing manpower deficit within the NIS
“With regards to inadequate personnel in the NIS, as you know, we’ve just concluded recruitment into the service and we’re training those recruits no.
“As you’re also aware, the government has placed embargo on recruitment, but lifted that on security agencies, because security is key.
“So, we’ve written to the President and I’m very sure we will get approval to recruit about 5,000 more personnel into the NIS,” Jere said.
He introduced that the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had sent a memo to President Muhammadu Buhari, who indicated his willingness to approve the request.
The CG was in Jigawa to condole with the family of one of its officers that was killed by suspected bandits on August 9 and while others were hospitalised.
The employees were attacked at one of the NIS Bases along Birniwa-Galadi axis, in Birniwa local local government area of Jigawa State.
The bandits opened fire at the operatives who were on patrol, which resulted in the loss of life of one of them named, Abdullahi Muhammed (CIA), while two others sustained severe bullet wounds.
The CG reiterated that the service could no longer be discouraged with the incident in its efforts to cozy Nigerian borders for countrywide peace and development.
In line with him, the service will quickly set up technology to enhance its efforts geared towards the security and protection of the Nation’s borderlines.
“For instance, Jigawa borders Niger Republic and the distance is about 1,680kms, which is very big for immigration officers to patrol.
“So, technology is the answer to this problem. And happily the Federal Government had approved the e-border that will cover Maigatari here in Jigawa and other borders across the country.
“We have infrastructure already, so cameras and drones will be used so as to patrol the borders adequately, but this is capital intensive.
“But, I want to assure you that the deployment of this technology will soon start,” Jere said.
He appealed to the state government to assist the service with automobiles which will make consistent patrol of the Maigatari border.
The CG additionally appealed to traditional institutions within the country to help the service with essential information of any suspicious moves for appropriate action.
“Information is vital and these people committing crimes are not demons, they are within us.
“So, provide us with credible information about suspicious persons or movements so that we act appropriately and promptly.
“When we get credible information about criminals, it will enable us to prevent them from causing havoc. Crime prevention is cheaper than fighting it,” the CG said. (NAN)
