during a two-day working visit to the headquarters of the European Border Agency, recently
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has urged border control agencies in Europe and other developed countries of the world to stop erecting barricades at their borders but address the major migration push and pull factors.
The advice was given last week by the head of an eight man delegation of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) during a two-day working visit to the headquarters of the European Border Agency, the FRONTEX
The delegation was in Warsaw headquarters of FRONTEX to hold discussions with their officials on border security and migration management matters.
Responding to the welcome address of the leader of FRONTEX, the leader of the NIS team and Deputy Comptroller General in-charge of the Directorate of Border Management, DCG Muhammad Aminu Muhammad mni who reiterated NIS’ strong commitment to healthy collaboration with friendly border security agencies such as FRONTEX called for frank discussions during plenary.
Muhammad in statement e-signed by the spokesman of the Service, Amos Okpu, an Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, urged countries in Europe and other developed States to look beyond establishing border barricades to control migration but rather make enduring arrangements to sincerely join efforts with authorities in developing countries to frontally address the pull and push factors of modern migration. Adding, “that the quantum of investments in building high-rise border barricades would not yield lasting benefits if the living conditions of people in developing countries remain abysmally poor.”
Earier in her welcome remarks, the interim Executive Director of FRONTEX Aija Kalnaja had stated that Nigeria and indeed the Nigeria Immigration Service remains a very dependable partner to her agency in the areas of border security and migration management.
Kalnaja stressed that the relationship between her agency and the NIS dated back to 2012 when both agencies entered into a working arrangement on border security and migration management.
She maintained that the relationship has remained very enduring and useful to both agencies particularly in the areas of experience sharing and capacity building.
She however, made a case for enhanced collaboration and partnerships by border agencies for a sustained fight against cross-border crimes especially migrants smuggling and trafficking.
‘I sincerely hope that both agencies will explore the opportunity of this meeting to examine the existing working arrangement to see if there are areas of possible review in line with current global migratory reality’ she stated.
Also, the facilitator of the trip and country representative of FIIAPP, implementer of the Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria (A-TIPSOM), Mr. Rafael Molina stated his organization decided to facilitate the trip with the aim of building enhanced synergy between FRONTEX and NIS for a more coordinated approach to the fight against irregular and dangerous migration.
The meeting had robust plenary sessions during which presentations on matters such as the role of Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) the NIS Regional Migration Academy Fundamental Human Rights as an Essential Component of European Integrated Border Management, FRONTEX Law Enforcement Function and the Fight Against TIPSOM in the EU, Fundamental Human Rights as an Essential Component of European Integrated Border Management, FRONTEX Support in the Entire Return Process among others were made.
