September 30, (THEWILL) – Authorities of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Bayelsa State, has met with leaders of Migrant communities in the state over their roles ahead of the general elections in 2023.
The NIS, Bayelsa Command, led by Comptroller Sunday James, during the meeting with Leaders of Nigerienne, Beninoise, Togolese, Ghanaian and Malian Communities, in the State warned against possession of valid voters card and involvement in acts capable of disrupting the country’s general elections
THEWILL gathered that the meeting, which was convened by the State Command of the NIS, was triggered by the directive of the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris, to all Comptroller’s of the NIS State Commands and special formations, at a meeting held at the Service Headquarters, Abuja.
Isah Jere Idris had ordered State Commands of the NIS to upscale surveillance and spot checks on non-Nigerians in preparation for the 2023 elections, warning that they should not be allowed to vote and neither are they to be voted for.
Idris also ordered that the non-Nigerians are not to be found in possession of voter cards or other election related materials to safeguard the integrity and sovereignty of the Nation.
The NIS, Bayelsa State Command, after the meeting with the Migrant communities, confirmed that the deliberations was part of its effort to re-educate and sensitise non-Nigerians residing in Bayelsa, in line with the directive of the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris.
According to the Statement from the Command Public Relations Officer, Suprintendent Ebi Cookey, “Apart from the upscaled proactive surveillance, spot checks and apprehension of already identified irregular migrants in the state at identified flash points and locations, where they are being harboured as Security guards, Cobblers, Tailors, Peddlers of Water in trolleys and Keke riders in Yenagoa and its environs.
“All the Divisional Immigration Officers (DIOs) have been further directed to engage in Surveillance and Intelligence gathering and to report back to the Command Comptroller with credible intelligence on the activities of non-Nigerians in the Eight (8) Local Councils of Bayelsa, apart from the State Capital, Yenagoa.
“In an effort to maximise the impact of the Comptroller Generals directive to deliver on the service mandate, as the Lead Agency in Border Management and Control in Nigeria. Strategies to be adopted will be unveiled in our operations on continuous basis from now on as we move towards the 2023 elections and beyond.”
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