16 July 2019
The Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS has offered explanation underlying why the Nigerian government has decided on the registration of migrants within its territorial integrity NEGROIDHAVEN can say authoritatively. According to the NIS the essence of capturing and profiling of migrants is to be able to account for them. He added that the exercise will improve on our security concerns.
This development was made known, Monday in Calabar, Cross River capital city by the State Comptroller of Immigration, CIS Barr. J. O. Ezugwu in a media parley with members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ.
According to the CIS this decision was arrived at the instance of the Comptroller General of the service who 'in his wisdom decided that every immigrants in this country, with the exception of few who were exempted must be captured electronically and profiled so that it will be possible for me to account for every foreigner who is in this state.
'It is in the thinking of the Service that if we are able to capture and profile every man or woman who is in Cross River State, who is not a Nigerian. The advantages are so many, apart from helping us in our planning as a nation, it will help us security wise.'
Ezugwu further observed that the peculiar location of Cross River being bordered by a handful of countries especially Sao Tome, Cameron, Equatorial Guinea etc makes it imperative for the conduct of such exercise.
However the CIS informed that not all migrants will be electronically captured and profiled. According to him, foreigners under 18 years, persons enjoying diplomatic immunity and immigrants staying in Nigeria for less than 90 days. On the contrary, those staying beyond 90 days foreign residents and ECOWAS nationals will be registered.
The integration and national development-themed migrants registration which is not aimed to arrest anyone will take place in every local government areas of the state in the various NIS offices.
According to the CIS Ezugwu, the exercise is free.