ICPC and Immigration partner to curb illegal migration across Borno borders

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has joined forces with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Borno State Command to address corruption in travel‑document processing and to reduce the flow of undocumented migrants across the state’s porous borders.

After a sensitisation programme for immigration staff in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Linus Gubbi, the ICPC Resident Anti‑Corruption Commissioner for Borno and Yobe states, told reporters that the partnership aims to strengthen national security through more effective border management.

Gubbi said the collaboration targets parts of the immigration system that are most susceptible to corrupt practices while encouraging accountability and transparency among officers in the execution of their duties.

“Like our topic entails, strengthening accountability and transparency in immigration management. Once personnel are enlightened on the proper conduct of their duties, it will help them, especially in the processing of documents for immigrants entering the country, and prevent them from compromising established procedures,” he said.

He added that the partnership involves a thorough review of operational processes that are prone to corruption, particularly in passport issuance and other immigration services.

“We are collaborating with them in the area of system studies to identify and review aspects of their operations that are susceptible to corrupt practices, as well as conducting routine sensitisation of officers on the dangers of corruption,” he added.

Gubbi stressed that professionalism and integrity among immigration officers would significantly enhance national security and economic stability.

“If officers do the right thing at the borders, checkpoints and within their offices, only the right people who are supposed to enter the country will be allowed in,” he said.

He warned that officers who do not follow established procedures could enable terrorism financing, human trafficking and other security threats.

“If they fail to do the right thing, it will encourage terrorism financing and the trafficking of people who are not supposed to enter the country,” he stressed.

Gubbi also noted that unchecked entry of undocumented migrants could have economic consequences, such as increased competition for jobs reserved for Nigerians.

Earlier, UK Ahmed, the Comptroller of Immigration for the Borno State Command, praised the ICPC for its work in promoting transparency and accountability in both the public and private sectors.

“We are all living witnesses to the state of our society today. Corruption has eaten deeply into the system. If not for organisations like the ICPC and others, we would not know where we are heading,” Ahmed said.

He urged command officers to apply the lessons from the sensitisation programme in their everyday duties.

Borno State shares international borders with three countries—Niger Republic to the northwest, Chad to the northeast via Lake Chad, and Cameroon to the southeast—making border security a vital part of national security efforts.