Nigeria’s borders with the Republic of Niger remain tightly shut, as confirmed by Dr. Aridegbe Adedotun, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). He conveyed that the Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Caroline Adepoju, has meticulously overseen the closure of all authorized border points with the neighboring country, in accordance with the directive from President Bola Tinubu.
Adepoju, in her capacity as Acting CGI, undertook an assessment visit to the Illela Border Control Post to ensure the effective execution of the Federal Government’s directive to temporarily seal the land borders with Niger Republic, prompted by their ongoing political instability. This visit was aimed at evaluating the level of compliance with the closure and underlining the significance of collaboration among various agencies and the sharing of intelligence.
During her visit, Acting CGI Adepoju expressed her satisfaction with the level of compliance observed at the Illela Border Control Post. She conveyed her gratitude to the officers for their diligence in upholding the closure directives. Additionally, Adepoju reiterated her previous directive to all Comptrollers of Commands in states that share a border with Niger Republic, emphasizing the necessity for unwavering adherence to the closure measures.
Addressing the officers, Acting CGI Adepoju remarked, “Having personally witnessed the working conditions, including those at the Mamman Suka checkpoint, I acknowledge the challenges faced by my personnel. I am dedicated to optimizing our allocated budget to improve the overall well-being and working environment of our personnel nationwide,” the spokesperson stated.
Before her visit to the Illela Control Post, Acting CGI Adepoju also visited the Usman Danfodio Teaching Hospital, where she directly engaged with injured personnel who had become victims of a bandit attack at the Mamman Suka checkpoint near Illela. This tragic incident resulted in the loss of two lives. While interacting with the hospitalized officers, Adepoju extended her unwavering support and solidarity. She pledged assistance to the grieving families during this challenging period and made a strong commitment to ensuring that her personnel’s sacrifices wouldn’t be in vain, as all necessary resources would be mobilized to bring the bandits to justice.
Acting CGI Adepoju further engaged with the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, and paid a visit to the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Sa’ad Abubakar III. In these meetings, she sought the support of both the state government and traditional leaders in effectively managing the borders. She received assurances of collaboration and support from both quarters, with the government and traditional leaders pledging their dedication to the successful execution of all border management initiatives.
It is noteworthy that reports regarding the arrest of some Service personnel, who allegedly set up an unauthorized roadblock along the Seme border axis, have been denied. The spokesperson clarified that these reports are false and baseless. He emphasized that he had contacted the ACG Zone A, who refuted these false claims. It’s crucial to clarify that none of the immigration officers were involved in such actions, and Acting CGI Caroline Wuraola Adepoju is resolute in her efforts to make the Immigration Service a model among security agencies.
