Apparently disturbed by incessant security breaches including activities of pirates and other trans-border crimes around the coastal waters of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Umo Eno has canvassed the support of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), stressing the need for intensification of border surveillance for the attainment of the goal of the ‘Arise Agenda’ of his administration.
Governor Eno made the plea at the weekend when he received the acting comptroller general of NIS, Caroline Adepoju, who led other officials of the agency on a courtesy visit to Government House, Uyo.
He assured the NIS boss, who is on duty tour of Immigration Service formations across the state of the importance his administration’s ‘Arise Agenda’ places on security, explaining that the partnership became necessary with the creation of a ministry to oversee internal security and waterways, as well as the appointment of a retired army general to supervise the new government department.
“We recognise the importance of security to the growth of our economy. So we are giving it the pride of place and the priority it deserves,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the cooperation of the NIS with the state government, and called for more of such collaborations, even as he commended the NIS boss for her choice of the state to commence the duty tour on assumption of office.
He expressed optimism that the new Ministry of Internal Security he created would fight to reduce criminality to it barest minimum, given the pedigree of the commissioner, Gen. Koko Essien (rtd) whom he said is well versed with ingenuity in security.
