The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has partnered with the Nigeria Immigration Service, Borno State Command, to combat corruption in travel document processing and prevent undocumented migrants from entering the country through the state’s borders.
Addressing journalists shortly after a sensitisation meeting with personnel of the service in Maiduguri on Wednesday, the ICPC Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner overseeing Borno and Yobe states, Linus Gubbi, said the partnership was aimed at strengthening national security through effective border management.
He also noted that the collaboration focuses on studying areas of the system prone to corrupt practices and sensitising personnel on the need to uphold accountability and transparency in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Gubbi said, “Like our topic entails, strengthening accountability and transparency in immigration management. Once they (immigration personnel) are enlightened on the conduct of their affairs in their offices, it will help them, especially in the area of how they process documents for immigrants that come into the country, and prevent them from compromising whatever they are supposed to do.
“We are collaborating with them in the area of system study to examine their processes and review areas that are prone to corrupt practices in the issuance of passports and other functions in their offices. We are also carrying out routine sensitisation of their officers on the ills of corrupt practices.”
He said that when officers of the Immigration Service remain committed to their duties, it would help reduce unemployment and terrorism in the country.
“It will help them to do the right thing at the right time when they come in contact with foreigners or Nigerians. If officers are responsible in doing the right thing, either at the border, checkpoint, or within their offices, the right people who are supposed to come into the country will come.
“Like I told them during the lecture, if they fail to do the right thing, it will fuel issues of terrorism financing and trafficking of people who are not supposed to come into the country,” he emphasised.
“And once they come, some of them will take over jobs that Nigerians are supposed to do, and this may cause problems. This is where the issue of unemployment comes in,” he added.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Comptroller of Immigration Service, Borno State Command, Umar Ahmed, hailed the ICPC for its role in promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public and private sectors.
“We are all living witnesses to how our society is today. Corruption has eaten deeply into the system. If not for organisations like the ICPC and others, we would not know our destination.”
He urged officers of the command to imbibe the lessons from the sensitisation programme and apply them in their day-to-day activities.
Borno State shares international borders with three countries. It borders the Niger Republic to the northwest, Chad to the northeast across Lake Chad, and Cameroon to the southeast.