Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Wednesday called for more funding, personnel, equipment and training for the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, to enable it execute its mandate.
Mr Ortom made the call while playing host to the Comptroller of the service in Benue, Dr Festus Amareze, in Makurdi.
“The service needs more funds to play her role toward tackling security challenges in the country,” he said.
He said that NIS had, over the years, complemented the state government’s efforts, and commended the service for closely monitoring immigrants coming in, going out, and those staying in the country.
“NIS’ mandate requires more funding, personnel, equipment and regular training. We must fully support it,” he said.
The governor appealed to the service to ensure that only eligible persons were allowed into the country.
He claimed that most herdsmen living in Nigeria were not Nigerians.
“There are Fulani herdsmen everywhere just like other tribes in the world. There are Fulani indigenes in Benue and in my government.
“NIS should ensure that immigrants do not come into the country to terrorise us like the herders are doing,” he said.
Earlier, Amareze had said that immigrants living with expired documents in the state should leave on or before Sept. 15, to avoid deportation.
The NIS official said that the outfit was monitoring activities of immigrants, adding that those with expired documents would be deported.
He said that NIS personnel had intercepted two child traffickers and identified their routes within the last two months.
Amareze said that motorists were being sensitised at the parks as part of measures to check child trafficking.
NAN
