NIS mulls rejig of border corps unit ‘for effective surveillance’

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is set to reorganise its border corps unit for effective patrol and surveillance.

Kemi Nandap, comptroller-general (CG) of the NIS, spoke in Abuja on Friday, at the inauguration of 30 operational vehicles for border surveillance and patrol.

Nandap said the vehicles are “a tangible effort to enhance the security and integrity of our nation’s borders, which is in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.

“We will have boots on the ground. We will train our personnel, we will equip them, and they are ready to work,” she said.

She stressed that effective border surveillance and patrol play a significant role in safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and the protection of the citizens.

She added that such efforts also help in preserving the country’s economic prosperity as well as facilitating regular, safe, and orderly migration.

Nandap said the 30 new vehicles represented a concrete investment in providing immigration officers with the tools needed to carry out their duties.

“With enhanced mobility, our border patrol teams will be better equipped to detect and deter illegal activities, including smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons and other transnational crimes,” she said.

“This investment in border security will be complimented with a rejig of our border corps architecture to include agile sector commanders to carry out consistent surveillance and patrol of our border in line with our core mandate.”

The CG urged personnel to take responsibility for securing the country’s borders and warned against violating laws or compromising the image of the service.

“We will not tolerate any compromise to the nation’s security,” she said.

Speaking at the event, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, emphasised the need for a secured border.

The minister said President Bola Tinubu is committed to providing leadership, equipment, and welfare for the national intelligence service (NIS) to address security challenges.

“Once our borders are protected, internal threats can easily be dealt with,” he said.

“So the time for rhetoric is over. It is time for action. The security and protection of our borders is now.

“The current insurgency and other security challenges are a wake-up call, and it will soon be over.”