NIS@60: NIS hands over 52 victims of trafficking to NAPTIP within 17 months in Kebbi
The Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS) in Kebbi says it has handed over 52 victims of trafficking to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) within 17 months in the state.
The Comptroller of the NIS in the state, Mrs Rabi Bashir-Nuhu, made this known while addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
The address was part of the NIS activities marking its 60 year anniversary of establishment in the country.
She said,” From Feb. 2022 when I assumed office to date, the command has intercepted and handed over 52 Libya- bound victims of trafficking to NAPTIP in the state.”
Bashir-Nuhu said the fight against Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM), was a war being fought by NIS with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with NAPTIP.
On anniversary, she recalled that the NIS was formerly known as the Immigration Department but was later extracted from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in 1958.
” 1st of August, 1963, the Immigration Department became an entity of its own, as it was formally established by an Act of Parliament, CAP 171, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and became Nigeria Immigration Service,” he said.
“We have Travel Documents, that is, Passport, starting from the introduction of Machine Readable Passport (MRP) in 1998 to its replacement with an electronic passport (e-passport) in May 2007.
“This electronic machine comes with capturing of biometrics, thus making multiple acquisition and identity theft difficult.
“The e-passport has also been upgraded to an enhanced e-passport in 2020, which makes forging difficult.
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“The ECOWAS Travel Certificate is another travel document issued by the Service, which usage only covers the ECOWAS region.
“The introduction and issuance of Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) electronically to foreign expatriates who reside with us in Nigeria.
“Border Security and Surveillance, also known as the electronic border (e-border), has made border security and surveillance seamless, among numerous achievements of the service,” she explained.
The comptroller congratulated Ag. Comptroller General of NIS, Mrs Caroline Adepoju and NIS personnel, as well as commended sister security agencies for their efforts in ensuring the security of the state in particular and the country in general.
