The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has commissioned the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Enugu State Command’s new office complex on Thursday in Enugu months after it was destroyed by #ENDSARS protesters.
The office complex was one of the government institutions destroyed by protesters in October 2020 during the #ENDSARS protest.
While commissioning the project, Aregbesola said contemporary realities were pointing to the need for a conducive work environment to improve productivity, according to a statement by Sola Fasure, a media aide to the Minister.
The Minister, who recalled how the office complex was attacked and damaged by arsonists during the #ENDSARS protest, expressed delight that the complex was being commissioned after being rebuilt with the assistance of some illustrious citizens of Enugu State.
Aregbesola urged the personnel of the NIS not to lose sight of its responsibility to the Nigerian people.
He also charged them to be exceptional in their conduct, adding that: “Immigration is the first contact that foreigners have with our country and the first impression, they say, lasts the longest.
“You must, therefore, strive to be professional and, above all, be patriotic. On no account must Nigeria’s image be damaged or undesirable element that could harm our nation slip in, under your watch, through commission or omission.”
The Governor of Enugu State, Rt Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, represented by the Deputy Governor, Barr Cecilia Ezeilo, commended the initiative and pledged the state government’s willingness to continue to partner and support NIS and the federal government in securing the people of Enugu State.
The Comptroller General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede, MFR, earlier in his address, thanked the government and people of Enugu State for their support and directed the officers and men of the Command to continue to be loyal and patriotic to the nation in the discharge of their duties while being vigilant.
He assured that the shortage of passport booklets would soon be over following the opening of the new office complex.
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