Ag. CGI assesses compliance to border closure with Niger Republic, visits injured personnel

The Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, WuraOla Adepoju, has conducted an assessment visit to the Illela Border Control Post to ensure the effective implementation of the Federal Government’s directive to temporarily close land borders with Niger Republic in light of their ongoing political instability. 

The aim of the visit was to evaluate the level of compliance with the closure and reinforce the importance of interagency collaboration and intelligence sharing.

In a statement, the Service Public Relations Officer, Aridegbe Adedotun says, during the visit Wednesday, the Acting CGI expressed her satisfaction with the degree of compliance observed at the Illela Border Control Post. 

According to the statement, she extended her appreciation to the officers for their diligence in upholding the closure directives. 

The Acting CGI, took the opportunity to reiterate her earlier directive to all Comptrollers of Commands in states bordering Niger Republic, emphasizing the need for unwavering adherence to the closure measures.

Addressing the officers, Acting CGI Adepoju remarked, “Having witnessed the working conditions firsthand, including the Mamman Suka checkpoint, I recognize the challenges faced by my personnel. I am committed to leveraging our budgetary allocation to enhance the overall welfare and working environment of our personnel nationwide.”

Prior to her visit to the Illela Control Post, the Acting CGI also made a visit to the Usman Danfodio Teaching Hospital where she directly engaged with injured personnel who had fallen victim to a bandit assault at the Mamman Suka checkpoint near Illela. 

This unfortunate incident resulted in the tragic loss of two lives. 

While interacting with the hospitalized officers, she extended her unwavering support and solidarity and pledged to provide assistance to the grieving families during this trying period and made a firm commitment to ensuring that her personnel’s sacrifices would not be in vain as all necessary resources to bring the bandits to justice will be deployed.

Acting CGI Adepoju also paid a courtesy visit to Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, and the Sultan of Sokoto His Eminence, Sa’ad Abubakar III. 

In these meetings, as contained in the statement, she sought the support of both the State government and traditional leaders in effectively managing the borders. 

Assurances were given of collaboration and support from both quarters, with the government and traditional rulers pledging their commitment to the successful implementation of all border management initiatives.