By Izunna Okafor, Awka
It was a moment of funfair and fanfare as the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Anambra State marked its diamond jubilee with a splendid celebration, commemorating 60 years of unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation’s borders and ensuring the security and prosperity of Nigeria and its citizens.
The grand event, which held at the NIS Anambra State Command Headquarters in Awka, the state capital, was graced by distinguished guests, including the service chiefs and representatives of various security agencies in Anambra State.
In his address, the Comptroller of Immigration Service in Anambra State, CIS Edirin Endurance Okoto, took the attendees on a nostalgic journey through the Service’s illustrious history. He reflected on the transformative reforms and milestones achieved during the six decades, including the introduction of innovative solutions like online payment and e-passports, as well as establishment of state-of-the-art forensic labs at the Service’s headquarters, among other achievements the institution has recorded in enhancing its service delivery.
As parts of testament to the Service’s commitment to its core mission in Anambra State, CIS Okoto also noted that he had extended the hours of works and put up measures and other logistics in place to ensure that anybody who comes to the NIS State Headquarters in Awka for any passport-related services will be attended to, even at night, to ensure that everybody who is due to be captured gets captured.
“Normally, we are to close by 4 p.m. But because of fluctuations in terms of server, network, and NIN opening up some times, we are always here now, even up to 8 p.m. and beyond. And we even open on Saturdays these to ensure that we serve the public, such that whoever that is to be capturing and has been waiting or has been delayed by network will be captured before the close of work for the day,” he said.
While revealing that over a hundred officers of NIS are deployed to the various local government areas of Anambra State, CIS Okoto also called on the members of the public not to hesitate to come forward with their constructive criticisms whenever they have any, as such will help the Service to restrategize better to serve them more efficiently and effectively.
In a brief captivating lecture at the event, DCI UC Akpuogu who dwelt on passport, took his time to educate the participants on the different types of passports issued by NIS and their significance, the historic journey from initial handwritten passports to the present enhanced biometric passport, as well as the various passport-related offenses.
In their separate interviews, some of the guests, including the State Police Commissioner, CP Aderemi Adeoye; the NDLEA State Commandant, Mr. Daniel Onyishi; and the FRSC State Sector Commandant, CC Adeoye Irelewuyi, took their turns to extend their felicitations and commendations to the Nigeria Immigration Service for its invaluable contributions to national security and border management.
Representatives of the heads of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria Correctional Centre, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Department of State Services (DSS), Anambra State Fire Service, and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State were also present at the event.
The event also featured presentation of complimentary souvenirs to the security chiefs and representatives of the various security agencies in the state, special parade by officers of the NIS, Anambra State Command; as well as the cutting of anniversary cake to make the day a memorable one indeed.
