The Global President of One Love Foundation, Chief Dr. Patrick Osagie Eholor (FoNS) otherwise known as Ultimate Equal, the Senior Advocate of the masses in an article he wrote about the Nigeria immigration, the article comprises the responsibilities of the government agency and the federal government to look into the downgrading services rendered to the people.
The article reads:
"Nigeria immigration service is a paramilitary agency of government enacted by the act of Parliament and saddle with a core statutory mandate to mann the Nigeria international borders which include Land, Air and sea borders. It's responsibility also include the control of persons leaving and entering Nigeria, issuance of traveling documents including Nigeria International passport to bona fide Nigerian within and outside Nigeria, issuance of residence permits to foreigners in Nigeria, border surveillance and patrol, enforcement of laws and regulations with which they are directly charged and performance of any paramilitary duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of the service. All these are contain under section 2, paragraph (a) to (f) of the Nigeria immigration act 2015.
"Unfortunately, the duties and function of Nigeria immigration is gradually being taken by other sisters agencies such as police and civil defense who do not have any business with issues of border management and as such there is the urgent needs for president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make a pronouncement banning police, civil defense and other paramilitary agencies who have no business with the the border area from Nigeria international border living immigration with the sole mandate of border management so as they can be able to function appropriately.
"According to section 3 of immigration act, the Comptroller general is empowered to be in charge of all administrative activities of the service but unfortunately since the appointment of the new interior minister in person of Hon Olubumi tunji Ojo, all activities of immigration service has been taking over to the extent, he now carries out immigration CGIS functions up to the installation of biometric gates and issuance of passport documents in Nigeria in a ministry where he is suppose to play supervisory roles and make new policies to enable immigration system work.
"We use this medium to call on the minister of interior Hon Olubumi Tunji Ojo to end the corruption in immigration by revoking the contracts with Iris, cotec and suket walls who are private partners within the Nigeria immigration service system who produces passport booklets and Resident permit from Malaysia and to immediately train Nigeria immigration officers and establish Nigeria immigration mint and print so that the service can take over the production of passport booklet and residence permits themselves and make passport booklet timely available for passport productions for Nigrians especially now that there is a new Comptroller General of Nigeria immigration in person of Kemi Nana Nandap who is well equipped with the experience of the job. If this is done, Nigeria immigration service will generate more revenue for the Nigeria government as the private partners in immigration system continue to enrich themselves with the monies that was suppose to go to Nigeria Treasury.
"Another problems that had been faced by officers of Nigeria immigration service bore down to poor funding of Nigeria immigration service as Immigration officer are seriously under paid compared to other paramilitary agencies. This have led to issues of passport racketeering and more. Again officers at the border area are not properly cared for in terms of accommodations like that of our counterparts in Nigeria Customs service whose salaries are times two of an immigration officer outside other welfare packages such as 13months salary which is being received by all customs officers yearly in line with public service rule. as it pains to know that the least immigration officer receive less than #35,000 even in our hard economy. Even Duty tour allowances have not been paid to any immigration officers on posting since the era of Mohammed Babandede which also breach the public service rule.
"Lastly, We also call and appeal to president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the minister of interior to use his good office to implement 13months salary payment for all immigration officers yearly, build immigration barracks in all the 36 state and FCT for all officers and men and increase their salaries to equate that of customs as immigration also generate revenue just as Customs. This will boost the morales of immigration officers and reduces the level of corruption in the system."