Assistant Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Alhaji Isiaka Olaide Yussuf has described the proposed creation of Area Commands, Divisional Offices and Outposts as a major catalyst for entrenching a formidable and effective security operations at grassroots.
Speaking to Blueprint in Kano shortly after handing-over the mantle of leadership to the new Comptroller of Immigration posted to Kano state Alhaji Dikko Nuhu Yashe, Yussuf said for the imbalance in the security operations of the Nigeria Immigration Service to be jettisoned, there was the compelling need for effecting a paradigm shift for the operations of the Service to be extended to the grassroots for greater result.
He said: “At the time I was handing-over the mantle of leadership to my successor, following my elevation to the rank of an Assistant Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, I drew the attention of both the traditional rulers and notable opinion leaders on the need for the creation of synergy on ways to stem the tide of the influx of illegal immigrants”.
“It was my ardent conviction and firm belief that they have a spectacular role to play in making the security operations of the Nigeria Immigration Service feasible and realistic at the grassroot. I made it a point of duty for them to comprehend the simple fact that the persistent imbalance in the operations of the Service must be adequately addressed” he added.
“Establishing such Area Commands , Divisional Offices and Outposts was an initiative I considered worthwhile in a densely populated State like Kano and I want this laudable initiative to be replicated in all the 36 states of the federation, for the security operations of the Nigeria Immigration Service to be all encompassing and not necessarily restricted to the metropolitan area alone.
“Looking at the huge population of a State like Kano with 44 Local Government Areas spread across , establishing Area Commands, Divisional Offices and Outposts would ease the operations of the operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service to the maximum standard needed to correct the imbalance inherent in its security operations. I really find it most compelling to seek the involvement of traditional rulers from District Heads level down to the Ward Heads” he remarked.
“I have also came up with the idea of setting the Nigeria Immigration Service Community Relations Committee(NICOMREC) for knotty issues relating to the security operations of the Service to be discussed and finally come up with an acceptable methodology of confronting challenges in the face of the prevailing security situation in the country” he further stressed.