CRHA Speaker Raps NIS Over Migrants
BY ARCHIBONG EYO, CALABAR – Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo has frowned at the special security treatment accorded foreigners to the detriment of political office holders and Nigerians.
He said the attachment of unwieldy number of security personnel to foreigners on technical duties in the country without commensurate plans for the safety of Nigerians was a great disservice to the country and its citizens.
The Speaker, who noted that most companies in Nigeria are owned by foreigners, with key support from their Nigerian directors for sustenance, said it is important to address such skewed arrangement that presents Nigerians as second class citizens in their country.
Lebo also challenged the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in the State to come up with a clear National Identification System for accurate and timely registration of migrants in the country.
Speaker Lebo threw the challenge when the Comptroller, Cross River Command of NIS, Mrs Funke Adeuyi visited the State Assembly to solicit the lawmakers’ support towards effective sensitisation of their constituents on the new Immigration Act.
He thanked the Comptroller, who led other Security Agencies to the Assembly for the public engagement, pledging that the House will liaise with all the members representing border communities in the State to ensure adequate sensitization of their constituencies on the issue.
In her remarks, NIS State Comptroller, Mrs Adeuyi said the visit was to engage the lawmakers and solicit their support for adequate sensitization of Cross Riverians, especially border communities on the provisions of new Immigration Act.
Adeuyi said the National Assembly passed the revised Immigration Act into Law in 2015, adding that recently, the revised version of Immigration Regulation 2017 was launched by the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Rtd)
According to her, the State Command of NIS was in the Assembly to officially present copies the documents to the Speaker and Members. Highlight of the occasion was the formal presentation of the Act to the Speaker.
