The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mrs. Kemi Nandap, has warned that corruption poses an existential threat to Nigeria’s national security, economic development and international standing, stressing that the fight against the scourge is central to effective border governance.
Nandap spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the inauguration of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) Desk Officers for NIS formations and commands nationwide, describing the initiative as a major step toward strengthening institutional integrity and accountability within the Service.
She said the deployment of ACTU Desk Officers represents a strategic shift from a largely centralised and reactive approach to a decentralised, preventive and culture-shaping framework aimed at embedding ethical governance at all operational levels of the NIS.
According to her, as a frontline agency responsible for border control and migration management, the Nigeria Immigration Service must uphold the highest standards of professionalism, transparency and accountability to safeguard the nation’s gateways.
“Corruption is not merely an administrative failing; it is an existential threat to national security, economic development and Nigeria’s international standing,” Nandap said. “It erodes public confidence, weakens the rule of law and creates avenues for transnational crime. Consequently, the fight against corruption is inseparable from our core mandate of effective border governance.”
She explained that while the Service has long maintained codes of conduct and disciplinary mechanisms, the establishment of ACTU Desks signals a deliberate move toward proactive prevention of misconduct at the grassroots level.
Nandap noted that the newly inaugurated Desk Officers would serve as ethical champions within their respective formations, tasked with promoting transparency and addressing misconduct at its source. She said their selection followed a rigorous process that prioritised integrity, courage and sound judgment.
The Comptroller General outlined three core mandates for the ACTU Desk Officers—enlightenment, deterrence and enforcement. Their responsibilities include continuous sensitisation on ethics and service regulations, provision of confidential reporting channels for misconduct, enforcement of disciplinary measures in line with extant laws, and monitoring compliance in sensitive areas such as passport issuance, visa processing, border operations and auction of seized items.
She urged Command Comptrollers and Heads of Formations to give the Desk Officers full support, emphasising that their work is intended to strengthen, not undermine, command authority. She also assured the officers of the full backing of NIS leadership, encouraging them to remain firm and fearless in the face of resistance.
The inauguration, Nandap said, sends a clear signal of the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and its commitment to building a professional institution that enjoys public trust and international confidence.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu, said ACTUs have evolved into a government-recognised anti-corruption platform across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Represented by the Director of the Systems Study and Review Department, Mr. Olusegun Adigun, Aliyu said the ACTU would serve as a strategic tool to support the Nigeria Immigration Service in achieving its vision of a modern, efficient and professional institution through strengthened ethical compliance and systemic accountability.
