By Laraba MUREY
The International Organisation for Migration, IOM, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, have commissioned a reference and training center to address challenges faced by immigration personnel in the implementation of IOM’s Immigration Border Governance, IBG. strategy.
The IOM’s IBG is a policy, legislation, operational systems with human resources, administrative and technical structures required to respond more effectively to diverse migration and border management challenges.
The Centre aims to create a robust learning environment for the service and an avenue for collaboration and exchange with other agencies and partners.
Speaking during the launch on Thursday in Abuja, Chief of mission for IOM, Lauren De Boeck, said the centre is a significant milestone for the government of Nigeria to secure border management and border security.
“With the assistance of international partners. The NIS has equipped 5 international airports, 30 land borders, 4 sea borders, and 8 states command and the NIS headquarters with Migration Information and Data Analysis System, MIDAS,This makes Nigeria the largest MIDAS architecture in the entire world.
“This commendable effort requires continuous training, capacity building to ensure that all officers receive timely training in the use of the system and it is the reason why IOM in collaboration with NIS to increase the capacity building of the staff.
“The new commission NIS reference centre located in the Shehu Shagari complex in the NIS headquarters comprises: a training hall with the expansion of the MIDAS training room which have the capacity of 15 persons for a training session to a 40 seater capacity with a very conducive environment with a state of art equipment for effective learning. This is a contribution to support the efforts of the NIS to ensure that officers receive required training in a timely manner, ” he said.
On his part, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Isah Idris Jere, appreciated
IOM for the partnership and the support of the government of Canada and Denmark for upgrading of the training and reference center
Jere said, “The introduction of immigration commission and data analysis system into migration and border management in Nigeria has proven to be a game changer in the ways our brothers are being managed.
“We appreciate the support of the government of Canada and Denmark for the upgrading of this training and reference center from a sixteen seater training centre to what is now 40 seater training centre with the inclusion of E- learning centre, training hall, standard saver room, migrants help desk and cafeteria so that we can enjoy our work.
“This epoc intervention will help Nigeria immigration service to further consolidate on achievement in the area of boader security and migration management.
“The best approach to secure our borders is digital, so we thank the Federal government for approving the E- border which will commence the first week of march.
