NIS bemoans inadequate accommodation

The Akwa Ibom Command of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says inadequate office accommodation is hampering the smooth operation of its service in the state.

Controller of NIS in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, decried the situation in an interview with NAN in Uyo on Sunday.

“We are here in the federal secretariat sharing offices with other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

“As a para-military service, we should have a place to keep illegal migrants undergoing screening and such is lacking here,” he said.

The controller said that the service did not have enough patrol vehicles and boats for marine operations.

Abdullahi added that in spite of the challenges, the command had carried out its mandate of regulating entry of aliens into the state satisfactorily.

He said that in the last five months, the command generated N60 million as revenue, through the issuance of passports, residence permits, alien cards and other operations.

He disclosed that the command had also admitted 1,412 persons into the state and assisted 1,664 emigrants out of the state between January and May 2014.

He said the command had issued 2,390 fresh e-passports and processed 858 applications for passport renewal within the period.

He commended the Governor Godswill Akpabio for giving regular logistics support to the service for its daily operations.

Abdullahi said that the government assisted the command immensely when it repatriated 612 illegal migrants.

He appealed to corporate organisations, especially those engaging the services of expatriates, to cooperate with the command in checking the influx of illegal migrants into the state.