The Assistant Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Zone A, Lagos, Mr Echefulam Anugwa, has called on security agencies at border posts to strengthen collaboration in tackling human and drug trafficking.
Anugwa, who oversees Lagos and Ogun States, made the appeal during a one-day working visit to the Seme border and Lagos State Border Patrol Commands of the NIS on Wednesday.
According to him, cooperation among agencies is vital to effectively combat cross-border crimes.
“Our duties at the border should not be taken lightly. We need each other to succeed together. We must work in collaboration because when security is down, everything is down. Intelligence sharing, joint operations, and the use of technology such as biometric verification and data analytics are necessary to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks. The goal is to create a united front against these complex threats, often linked to broader criminal activities like cultism and human trafficking,” he said.
Anugwa assured the two commands that he would liaise with headquarters to secure more operational vehicles to boost patrols. He also disclosed that new uniforms had been procured for personnel and would be distributed alongside identification cards soon.
He commended the Seme and Lagos Border Patrol Commands for their efforts in maintaining order at the borders.
Responding, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, Comptroller of the Seme Command, praised the ACG for visiting and reaffirmed that officers in the area already work closely with other security agencies to curb trafficking.
Also, Mr Peter Adache, Controller of the Lagos Border Patrol Command, revealed that the command had intercepted over 100 victims of human trafficking and reunited them with their families.
During the visit, Anugwa and his team paid homage to the Akran of Badagry to receive royal blessings. At the palace, some chiefs expressed concerns over the proliferation of security checkpoints along the Agbara-Badagry-Seme corridor, alleging extortion of residents by personnel. They appealed to the ACG to help address the issue.
(NAN)