The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, has described corruption as a threat to national security and economic development, urging officers to uphold integrity and professionalism.
The CGIS gave the charge on Thursday at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja during the inauguration of newly-trained Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) desk officers, who are scheduled to be posted to Commands across the country.
While emphasizing the Service’s responsibilities in border governance and migration management, Nandap reminded the new ACTU officers of management’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
She said: “We are gathered here not merely to inaugurate you as officers of the ACTU Desk, but also to reinforce proactive and ethical governance through your deployment across the Service.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service, as you know, is entrusted with the critical responsibilities of border management and migration management. This trust confers significant authority, and with this authority, you have an obligation to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
“Corruption is a major administrative failing anywhere in the world. It is a threat to national security, to economic development, and to our standing in the international arena. It erodes public confidence, weakens the rule of law, and creates avenues for all sorts of crimes.”
She enjoined personnel to embed the anti-corruption fight in their consciousness, resisting the urge to treat it as a mere slogan.
“Consequently, the fight against corruption is inseparable from our core mandate of effective border governance and migration management. This fight is not just a slogan; it must be embedded in us, it must be a system, it must be our culture, and it must be a daily responsibility.
“While the Service has long upheld codes of conduct and disciplinary mechanisms, the establishment of the ACTU Desk represents a strategic shift. You, our newly-inaugurated desk officers, are the foundation of a culture where integrity is our standard, transparency is our routine, and accountability is not negotiable across every Command.”
The responsibilities of the desk officers were outlined as follows: providing enlightenment through sustained ethical reorientation; serving as a confidential and accessible channel for reporting misconduct; and ensuring that proven cases of misconduct in areas such as passport administration and border operations attract clear and proportionate sanctions.
The event was attended by senior officials from the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), who delivered goodwill messages.
