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Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, has enjoined security agencies in Nigeria to take a cue from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) by strengthening their operational bases to enhance the overall efficiency of the security architecture across the country.
Danladi-Salihu gave this charge while delivering a goodwill address at the official commissioning of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Okuta, in Baruten Local Government Area of the state.
‘The coming to being of the operation base will, in no small measure, strengthen our security architecture in Kwara State and curtail the porous nature of our national border. The location is strategic. Baruten is a national border thus the base is well stationed, the House Speaker said.
‘On behalf of the people and government of Kwara State, I sincerely appreciate the proactive leadership of the Nigeria Immigration Service. Recently, the Service embarked on the e-registration of migrants and later commissioned its permanent state Command in Ilorin, the state capital.
‘This indicates significant Federal Government presence in our dear state and we are utterly grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari led-FG and the steadfastness of the Nigeria Immigration Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller General, Mohammed Babandede, and the Kwara State Comptroller of Immigration Service, Edith Onyemenam,’ Danladi-Salihu added.
Danladi said that he was delighted that among several border communities, Okuta-Baruten in Kwara State was found worthy of the base location.
‘I want to assure you, on behalf of His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, of the continued support of the government and people of Kwara State for the Nigeria Immigration Service as a government that cares for the security of its people.’
The Emir of Okuta, Alh Idris Abubakar Shero, in his remarks, expressed gladness over the development and assured the NIS of the full support of the people of Okuta.
The Kwara State Comptroller of Immigration Service, Edith Onyemenam, had earlier briefed that there are 14 Forward Operating Base (FOB) facilities of the NIS across the country, of which Kwara is lucky to have one.
She noted that the FOB is a strategic support facility to achieve operational goals of security outfits, adding that ‘the facility will attract more Federal Government presence to Baruten and the gain shall be for everyone.’
She appreciated the Kwara State government and Danladi-Salihu for supporting the Service, adding that the power generating set donated by the Speaker at the Service’s former office, where there had been power supply challenges, had aided their operations significantly.
