Lawmakers decry alleged maltreatment of residents in border communities by NIS officials

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4 days ago

Concerns about the alleged maltreatment of some residents of border communities, especially those of Egun descent who are indigenes of Ogun State, by immigration officials have prompted the state house of assembly to seek the immediate intervention of the state government and the management of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on the matter.

The Speaker, Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, requested intervention shortly after a member representing the Ipokia/Idiroko state constituency, Hon. Adebisi Oyedele, raised the matter for personal explanation. This was corroborated by the members representing the Ado-Odo/Ota 2 state constituency, Hon. Musefiu Lamidi, and the Yewa North 1 state constituency, Hon. Adegoke Adeyanju.

They reported the challenges faced by some residents of border communities in their various constituencies in the Ogun West senatorial district at the hands of federal officials. These challenges include difficulty in recognising the Egun people as Nigerians and issues related to the sale of fuel within 20 km of the land borders.

According to them, the residents who are of Egun descent were being denied Nigerian passports despite meeting all application requirements.

Elemide directed that there was a need to look into the allegations of the maltreatment of the minority group in the state, saying “an injury to one is an injury to all.”

He, therefore, requested an official engagement with the state Controller of Immigration and the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to investigate the complaints and seek the state government’s intervention to prevent further marginalisation caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks.