THE attention of the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede MFR, has been drawn to your recent report entitled ‘NIS inducted into FOI Hall of Shame’ where an independent body, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) alluded that the Nigeria Immigration Service is rated low in its commitment to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011. The Comptroller General is elated that there exist agencies that are specially committed to deepening our conversation on national development.

2. The report is not only very interesting but quite intriguing especially against the backdrop of its flawed perspective on current reality in today’s Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Without any intent to join issues with such bodies on some matters raised, suffice that we avail you of the following development in the NIS.

(a). It is important to acknowledge MRA admission about the vibrancy of the NIS website (www.immigration.gov.ng) but to quickly add that the allegation that the NIS has consistently failed to comply with the provisions of Sections 2 (3-5) and 29 (1) of the FOI Act on disclosure of certain pieces of information to the public upon which the summary was made, remains less than the truth.  A re-visit to our website is hereby advised so as to enable you see our various publications (click on media) such as the 2016 Annual Report (hard copies of this document were widely distributed to both government and private agencies), NIS Operational Procedures Handbook and indeed the numerous Press Releases and other documents we have availed the public with as the needs arise.

(c). On training and retraining exercises for Front Desk Officers and indeed all other personnel on lines of duties, the NIS has consistently embarked on series of internal skills upgrade for the workforce. Only recently, the NIS concluded the 3^rd Phase of joint training exercises with sister security agencies organized in conjunction with a reputable UN agency, the UNODC specially designed for Communications and Public Relations Officers across the 36 States Commands and FCT. Furtherstill, a total of 411 Border Commanders and Rapid Response Squad personnel passed out from our training institutions in Kano and Sokoto states last June 2017. A critical component of their training was on modern migration management practices which revolve around respect and observance of the rights of migrants. Talking about  the appointment of a nodal officer to attend to the matters raised, you may wish to note that the NIS has the most robust Contact Centre among government agencies where dedicated lines have been availed our various publics for enquiries and complaints. We also have dedicated e-mail address and phone line (nis.servicom@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng, 07080607900) for the public. You may also wish to know that these platforms have remained the toast of some many people within and outside Nigeria.

(d). Also only last April 2017, the federal government through the Presidential Enabling Business Council (PEBEC) named the NIS as the most innovative and critical agency of government in the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

3. The submissions made herein are verifiable; you may wish to put your machineries at work in so doing and thereafter have a rethink about the propriety of NIS in the current rating by MRA. We wish that you find the above interesting. Once again, we like to thank you for your efforts aimed at seeing to the emergence of a better Nigeria.
4. Do accept the warm regards and esteemed consideration of the Comptroller General please.

 Signed

 Sunday James (ACI)                           

 Service Public Relations Officer

 For: Comptroller General of Immigration Service.

20/09/2017

– Sept 21, 2017 @ 3:58 GMT |