Insecurity: Retired immigration officers reject border guards

ABUJA — Retired officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, under the National Association of Retired Immigration Officers, NARIO, have rejected calls for the establishment of Border Guards, urging the Federal Government to adequately fund and strengthen the NIS instead.

President of NARIO and retired Comptroller, Dr Charles E. Okafor, made the call on Wednesday at the association’s maiden Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Autonomy amidst Operational Challenges: Repositioning the Nigeria Immigration Service for Border Security, Revenue Generation, Investment Promotion and Sustainable National Development,” Okafor said the NIS had been weakened by misconceptions about its core responsibilities.

He said the primary mandate of the Service was migration management and border security, rather than merely passport issuance and administration.

According to him, the misconception had contributed to the creation of border security units by other agencies and fuelled calls for the establishment of a separate Border Guards structure.

He asked the authorities to first address the funding, operational capacity and welfare of NIS personnel before considering the creation of additional agencies.

“Some people have even called for the establishment of Border Guards, but no questions are being asked: how much is NIS funded? Why is NIS not optimally effective and efficient? What is the welfare of NIS officers?” he said.

Okafor urged the government to give the NIS a stronger place in the country’s security architecture, stressing that doing so was necessary for effective border management.

He also decried what he described as the neglect of serving and retired immigration officers, saying personnel who died in the line of duty had not received the level of recognition and welfare given to personnel of some other security agencies.

He said NARIO expected serving officers to receive adequate protection and welfare packages in cases of occupational hazards and other misfortunes arising from their duties.

The NARIO president also appealed to the NIS, its governing board and the Ministry of Interior to review the retirement conditions of former immigration officers.

He said retired personnel felt unfairly treated when compared with retired personnel from other security agencies, despite the contributions of the NIS to national security and government revenue.

Okafor disclosed that NARIO was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, on October 20, 2022.

He said the maiden AGM marked the formal launch of the association at the national and international levels.

According to him, NARIO’s objectives include promoting the welfare of retired immigration officers, strengthening unity and cooperation among members and serving as an advisory body to the NIS and the Federal Government on migration management and national security.

He stressed that the association was not a labour union but a partner to institutions responsible for the affairs of the NIS and its personnel.