Why we want amendment to immigration, prisons act – Aregbesola

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has said that a bill seeking to repeal the Immigration and Prisons Services Board Act, Cap 12 LFN, 2004 and to enact the Civil Defence Corps, Correctional, Federal Fire and Immigration Services Board Act, was to reflect the current realities, as well as “bridge legal and practices gaps”.

Aregbesola gave the explanation while making his presentation at a two-day public hearing on six bills organised by the House Committee on Interior.

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He said the Board was to provide policy direction to the corps and services and appoint, promote and exercise disciplinary control over officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service.

He said membership of the Board would consist of the minister, who is the chairman, and six other persons, who shall be fulltime members, each to represent the six geopolitical zones of the federation and to be appointed by the president on the recommendation of the minister.

 He said the powers of the Board from the four services included short-listing eligible officers from the range of deputy commandant-general or assistant commandant-general to the minister to recommend to the president for appointment as commandant-general of each of the four organisations.