By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has promised to assist the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in tackling the menace of illegal aliens.
Mr Amosun made this known on Friday, while playing host to the new Comptroller of Immigration Service, Ogun State Command, Mr Oluwatoba Bayeroju, at his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office.
“Due to our status as the most industrialised state in Nigeria, I am aware that we are prone to the infiltration of illegal aliens. Some of them are here working for some companies within Ogun State,” Governor Amosun said.
He added that, “Some of these companies don’t correctly declare the number and or status of the foreigners within their organization in order to evade tax payment. In view of this, we will see to the possibility of assisting the Immigration Service to have offices in all our local government and local council development areas. This will be in addition to the ones already existing in our border communities.”
In the same vein, the Governor advised the immigration boss to provide data showing the number of Nigerians applying for their travel passports at the Ogun State Command of the NIS, adding that this will help in making the case for an expansion of the passport issuing process and facilities in the state.
“Again because of our status as the industrial hub of Nigeria as well as our proximity to Lagos, what you find is that the number of people processing their passport in the Ogun State Command has risen tremendously thereby placing the facilities here under a lot of pressure,” Governor Amosun said.
He assured the visiting Immigration boss of the fact that he is aware of this challenge saying, “I have personally been to that your office and I know the kind of pressure you go through.”
Speaking earlier, Mr Bayeroju commended the Ogun State Governor for transforming the entire landscape of the gateway state.
“I left this state 25 years ago as a young officer. Now I am back as state Comptroller and I can barely make my way around because the whole place has been transformed within the last five years,” Mr Bayeroju said.
He also seized the occasion to reel out some of the challenges facing the NIS Ogun State Command, which he listed as influx of illegal aliens, need for offices in all LGs and LCDAs as well as inadequate booklets for the production of Nigerian passports to a growing number of applicants.
