NIS Flags off Migrant E-registration Exercise in Imo

The Imo Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday, 26th November, 2019 flagged off the e-registration exercise for immigrants in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NIS Imo Command commissioned the Migrant Registration Workstation for capturing visitors staying for more than 90 days, residents and ECOWAS nationals.

Those to be exempted were persons under the age of 18, persons on diplomatic assignment and migrants staying for less than 90 days.

Speaking at the flagoff, Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration in charge of Zone E, Sadiq Shehuri, said that the exercise would enable the creation of a comprehensive database of all migrants in the country.

Shehuri noted that while the country was happy to welcome migrants, it was pertinent to register them to know their demographic structure.

“We have to be mindful of their purpose, their occupation and their demographics; this will greatly help the government in planning and in ensuring the security of the country,” he said.

In his address, NIS Comptroller in the state, David Ringshum, said that the exercise was free of charge and urged the migrants to take advantage of it.
Ringshum, however, warned that NIS would penalise any irregular migrant remaining in the country after the window of amnesty extended to unregistered migrants by the president expires by Jan. 11, 2020.

He said that the penalty may include repatriation, deportation and any other sanction in accordance with the extant immigration laws of the country.
He added that companies, hotels, landlords and other stakeholders who continued to harbour irregular migrants would also be culpable.

The comptroller said that regular migrants who have the correct immigration status would be permitted to register after the deadline.

He noted that the exercise was important as it would provide many security and socio political benefits to the country and the migrants.

He said data compiled would enable fulltime up to date records, profiles and identity of migrants in Nigeria and urged all migrants to come foward even if they do not have all the requirements yet.

In his address, the state Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, described the event as laudable, adding that it would contribute to the “Rebuild Imo” agenda of his administration.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Mr Obinna Egemole, commended the NIS for the “giant stride” and wished them success.

Speaking at the event, the Leader of the Niger nationals in the state, Mr A.D Ibrahim, commended NIS for initiating the exercise.

Ibrahim noted that Nigeriens had enjoyed the peace and goodwill of their host state and promised that they would comply with the directives of the NIS.

Also speaking, the President of Niger Wives in Imo, an association of foreign women married to Nigerien men, Mrs Helena Naonora, described the e-registration exercise as a welcome exercise.

She also prayed for the success of the exercise, adding that the association would continue to contribute their quota to the development of the country.

Present at the flagoff were comptrollers of NIS commands in the South East and representatives of other security agencies in the state.