NIS Debunks Alleged Concession Of Immigration Services By Interior Minister

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has refuted a report by an online Newspaper, that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has commercialised the processes of obtaining Nigeria’s resident permit as well as other services of the immigration service.

NIS Commandant General, Isah Idris Jere said processes on the concessioning of the agency’s services had long been in force before the assumption of office of the current Minister.

Jere noted that the report is geared towards misinforming the public about the activities of the NIS and Ogbeni Aregbesola, who is deeply committed to the progress of the ministry, in delivering equitable services to Nigerians.

The statement signed by Tony Akuneme, the service Public Relations Officer noted that: “The attention of the NIS has been drawn to an online story of the Premium Times of February 1, 2023, by one Mojeed Alabi titled “Months to tenure expiration, Aregbesola set to ‘commercialise Nigeria’s resident permit processes, others”. In the story, the author has accused the minister of interior of commercializing some immigration services.

“Already, many services of the NIS have long been commercialized and warehoused in very robust partnerships with internationally acclaimed professional service providers such as CONTEC, Newworks, IRIS, Greater Washington, OIS, and others.

“The Honourable Minister of Interior is not concessioning Residency permit processes but the process of issuing Expatriate Quotas which falls directly under his mandate. The Advert under reference is on concessioning of Expatriate quota and NOT immigration facilities. This is the crux of the matter and needs to be properly understood. The write up which tries to malign the person and office of the honorable minister equally tended to misinform the general public.

“The NIS, under the watch of Hon Minister Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has continued to reposition and rebrand itself, winning local and international accolades in the process, such as the board membership of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the 4th time back to back, seven times winner of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council Award, the Leadership newspaper Award on the Comptroller General of Immigration as the 2022 Public Service Man of the year,, to mention just these few.

“The NIS, under the purposeful supervision of the Honourable Minister, remains committed to serving Nigerians and has its doors open to do so all the time. The morale of our officers is at an all time high, with the spate of promotions and welfare packages including recruitment of both senior and junior cadres of Nigerians.

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“The public is therefore advised to discountenance the publication, while we equally wish to advise the author and others like him to always double check his facts before going to press.”