By Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to improve border management, intelligence gathering, and internal security across the state.
Governor Mutfwang gave the assurance on Thursday when he received the Plateau State Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, CIS Mary U. Abang, who paid him a courtesy visit at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos.
The Governor described the Nigerian Immigration Service as a critical institution responsible for safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty, noting that effective migration management has become increasingly important in addressing emerging security challenges, combating transnational crimes, and ensuring public safety.
He said the Plateau State Government would continue to work closely with the Service to identify, monitor, and prevent illegal activities involving undocumented foreign nationals while ensuring that lawful migrants are properly documented in line with the country’s immigration laws.
“It is the responsibility of government, through the appropriate agencies, to protect the sovereignty of Nigeria and guarantee the security of lives and property.
“On behalf of the government and people of Plateau State, I pledge our unwavering support and collaboration to enhance the effectiveness of the Nigerian Immigration Service in carrying out its constitutional mandate,” the Governor stated.
Governor Mutfwang stressed the importance of stronger intelligence sharing between the state government and the Immigration Service, particularly at the grassroots level.
He urged immigration officers deployed across the 17 local government areas of the state to remain vigilant, strengthen surveillance, and collaborate with other security agencies to address irregular migration and other security threats.
He further assured the Comptroller that his administration would continue to provide the necessary support to improve the operational environment of the command and enable officers to discharge their duties effectively.
Earlier, the Plateau State Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, CIS Mary U. Abang, commended Governor Mutfwang for his commitment to security, describing him as a leader whose policies have continued to strengthen the operations of security agencies in the state.
She disclosed that the command had intensified migration enforcement operations through the profiling, arrest, and repatriation of illegal foreign nationals, while also expanding surveillance and intelligence-driven operations across Plateau State.
Comptroller Abang appealed for the Governor’s continued support in providing a permanent command headquarters, operational vehicles, and motorcycles to enhance patrols, especially in remote communities and mining locations where undocumented foreign nationals are often found.
She revealed that the command had uncovered cases of foreign nationals who entered Nigeria with temporary work permits but remained in the country long after the expiration of their permits.
“We appeal for logistics, particularly motorcycles, to enable our officers to access remote mining areas.
“We have discovered instances where some foreign nationals, including Chinese nationals, entered the state with temporary work permits valid for only 30 days but remained illegally for over a year after their permits had expired,” she stated.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Plateau State Government and the Nigerian Immigration Service to strengthening intelligence-led security operations, promoting lawful migration, combating illegal immigration, and safeguarding lives, property, and the territorial integrity of Plateau State.
