Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has stated that the ongoing migrant e-registration exercise and the reforms of the Nigerian Immigration Service will address security challenges currently facing Nigeria and as well as creating a conducive environment for migrants to reside in Nigeria.
The Governor who stated this on the occasion of flagging off/commissioning of the e-registration centre for migrants in Plateau State explained that people who are either Employed Migrants, Migrant Students, Self Employed Migrants, Migrant Spouses of Nigerians, or Migrant Dependents are expected to be captured during this exercise.
He said the exercise for national security cannot be over-emphasised considering the challenges Nigeria is facing today with cross-border crimes, smuggling and general criminality.
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He said: ‘As a State that has suffered from crises in the recent past, we fully appreciate this exercise and support it because it will help us strengthen the security of our State and the nation at large. As a matter of fact, we consider this exercise long overdue.
“In addition, the registration exercise will provide reliable data for planning and other engagements of the State which relate to migrants”
The Governor therefore called on all migrants within the State to comply with the registration exercise so as to continue to enjoy their peaceful stay on the Plateau adding that since Nigerian Immigration Service has provided for online pre-registration as well as desk registration, there should be no reason why migrants will fail to participate in the exercise which is free.
Governor Lalong appealed to the Comptroller and his staff to ensure that no officer takes advantage of the exercise for money-making or other corrupt tendencies and enjoined owners of premises that accommodate migrants in Plateau State to ensure that such migrants comply as they can be held liable in the event that the migrants fail to comply.
In his address Plateau State Comptroller of Nigerian Immigration Service Alhaji Abdul Aliyu said the e-registration scheme has also built in the options of web-based pre-registration, which is a self-service process wherein the migrant can complete preliminary registration by following the steps on the portal.
He enjoined all regular and irregular migrants to register for free within the period of amnesty which elapses by January 12th, 2020 adding that failure to register will be treated by the Service as failure to comply with Section 57(5) of the immigration Act 2015 and offender shall be liable to imprisonment of three years or a fine of five hundred thousand naira or both.
He pointed out that the expectation was that the exercise will result in a robust, credible and comprehensive database for migrants in Nigeria and greatly improve on the security situation of Plateau State in particular and Nigeria at large.
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