The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to degrade the bandits, insurgents and other criminal elements along Nigeria’s borders.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this on Monday at the passing out parade of 320 immigration officers who underwent training in Kano to participate in a special operation in the north-western part of the country.
Aregbesola said the increasing number of security personnel at the borders will not only check the proliferation of light weapons and contrabands but also cripple the activities of bandits, insurgents and kidnappers.
He added that the operation is a definitive military initiative to respond to criminal activities in northwestern Nigeria, with a view to restoring peace and security in the area.
While observing that much has been committed to training them, the Minister asked the immigration officials to justify the same by being professional in all their doing to protect the country from influx and infiltration by irregular migrants, calling for support for the Military in the region.
He noted that the nature of the border communities calls for the NIS-Border Community relationship to safeguard the borders.
Speaking further, Aregbesola asked the immigration personnel to gather intelligence from community members who will only share information available to them when they have confidence in the operatives.
In his remarks, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, assured that the training will equip his men to perform excellently in securing the north-west.
The NIS warned the officers against compromise in the cause of their duty, reiterating that the service will not tolerate nonchalant attitude and arbitrary abuse of their duty call.
