The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has accused immigration officers of compromising national security by collecting bribes from foreigners to allow them to stay in the country illegally.
He stated this in Katsina where he went to perfect plans to work with the traditional rulers to detect people who are not citizens of Nigeria while coming in and those staying illegally.
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He said, “We are aware that some of you have been collecting bribes. Therefore, I am warning you to stop such, because it is a threat to the country’s security.”
He maintained that those who have compromised were doing so because they stayed too long there, hence the need to transfer them away from their respective duty posts.
He warned that anyone who decided to seek the help of a traditional ruler or politicians to reverse their transfer will be doing so at their own peril.
In his remarks, Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State described the efforts by the NIS boss to engage traditional leaders in identifying foreigners that overstayed in the country as a noble one.
According to him, the traditional rulers have much more to play in that aspect, and will surely help in identifying those that have overstayed in the country, especially those from the neighbouring countries.