Governor Seyi Makinde inspecting Guard of Honour

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has commended the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, over the introduction of Migrant E-Registration in Nigeria for foreigners, noting that the programme would enhance security of lives and property in the country.

Governor Makinde, who made this commendation while kicking-off of the programme in Ibadan said, “The migrant e-registration is for registering different categories of migrants in Oyo State, in order to have a comprehensive and reliable database of migrants in the state.

“This will assist in addressing some of the security challenges in the state as well as and ensuring adequate planning for the nation’s and state’s annual budgets. Our administration places a high premium on peace, safety and security of lives and property. As I have said in the past, no meaningful development can take place without adequate security”, Makinde stated.

The Governor further pointed out that the programme would enhance internal security by helping to identify, verify and determine the migration status of resident migrants in the state, stressing that the programme was coming at the appropriate time when Nigeria has security challenges.

Explaining that security enhances economic development, he noted that no investors would invest in a country that could not guarantee security for the residents, adding that no meaningful development would ever take place in a chaotic environment.

He said, “The Migrants E-Registration is coming at the appropriate time to address national security…it is being done nationally but we are interested in it because we share borders with neighbouring countries. Where there is no peace, there can be no development. Hence, I appreciate the introduction of this Migrants E-Registration and thereby further perceive this service as a good partner in progress and capable of living up to their security expectations.”

The Governor urged all organisations and the landlords/landladies of foreigners to see it as a duty that foreigners around them register with the nation’s immigration, Stressing, “Ensure that the foreigners/migrants in your employment or house who are eligible for Migrants E-Registration do so on time. The benefits of this laudable programme to the country and the migrants cannot be overemphasised”.

He, therefore, called for 100 per cent compliance with the programme by eligible migrants without waste of time pointing out, “As I kick-off this Migrants E-Registration in Oyo State today, I expect 100 per cent compliance from eligible migrants without any waste of time”.

Earlier, the NIS Comptroller, Oyo State Command, Mr. Saleh Abdullahi, stated that the Migrants E-Registration entails the enrollment and biometric capturing of all migrants residing in the 33 local government areas of the state or who may wish to stay for a period more than 90 days in line with Section 57 Sub-section 5 of the Immigration Act, 2015.

“The main purpose of this noble exercise is to enhance security by verifying, identifying and determining the migration status of resident migrants in the state in particular and, by extension, in Nigeria in general”, he stated.

He urged all foreigners key into the laudable programme, which attract no cost, warning that the failure to comply with this Migrants E-Registration is contrary to Section 57 (5) of the immigration Acts 2015 and punishable with a penalty of three years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 or both.