Corruption Threat To Border Security, Weakens Rule Of Law, Says Immigration CG

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, has warned that corruption poses an existential threat to Nigeria’s border security, migration management and national stability, cautioning that administrative lapses within security institutions expose the country to transnational crimes.

Nandap sounded the warning on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of 108 Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) desk officers across the service, declaring that the fight against corruption is inseparable from the Immigration Service’s core mandate.

The inauguration, Nandap said, sends an unmistakable signal that under her leadership, the Nigeria Immigration Service maintains zero tolerance for corruption and is firmly committed to building a professional, transparent and globally respected institution

She said, “We are gathered here today not merely to inaugurate you as officers of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) Desk, but to reaffirm our collective commitment to proactive, ethical governance through the strategic deployment of ACTU officers across the Service.

The Nigeria Immigration Service, as you are well aware, is entrusted with the critical responsibility of border security and migration management. This trust confers significant authority, and with that authority comes an unwavering obligation to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and accountability.

Corruption remains one of the most serious administrative failures worldwide. It is a direct threat to national security, economic development and our standing in the international community. It erodes public confidence, weakens the rule of law and creates fertile ground for organised and transnational crimes.

“For this reason, the fight against corruption is inseparable from our core mandate of effective border governance and migration management. This fight cannot be reduced to rhetoric or slogans. It must be internalised. It must be systemic. It must define our institutional culture and guide our daily conduct.

While the Service has long maintained codes of conduct and disciplinary mechanisms, the establishment of the ACTU Desk marks a deliberate and strategic shift from compliance to prevention, from reaction to accountability-driven governance.

“You, our newly inaugurated Desk Officers, are the bedrock of this shift. You are the custodians of a Service where integrity is the standard, transparency is routine, and accountability is non-negotiable across every Command.

“Corruption is not just an administrative failing; it is a direct assault on national security, economic development and Nigeria’s global reputation. When integrity fails, borders become porous, and institutions fail.

According to her, weak internal controls erode public trust, undermine the rule of law and create opportunities for organised cross-border crimes.

Addressing the newly inaugurated officers, the Comptroller General described them as the ethical backbone of the Service. “You are ethical champions, standard bearers and first responders within your respective formations,” she said.

Nandap outlined three critical pillars guiding their assignment: enlightenment, deterrence and accountability.

On enlightenment, she urged the officers to sustain continuous ethics education and awareness campaigns on service rules, regulations and applicable laws to entrench a culture of integrity. On deterrence, she said the officers would function as confidential and credible channels for reporting misconduct.

On accountability, she stressed collaboration with command comptrollers and ACTU headquarters to ensure that established cases of unethical conduct are decisively addressed.

“This includes monitoring compliance with transparency measures such as the open auction of seized items, enforcing service standards in passport administration, visa processing and border operations, and ensuring that violations attract clear and proportionate sanctions,” she added.

Representative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Olusegun Adigun, said the deployment of ACTU officers would deepen transparency, strengthen ethical compliance, and enhance corruption risk assessments across NIS formations. He also advocated integrating anti-corruption safeguards into recruitment and procurement processes.

Similarly, the Nigerian Army representative, Lt. Col. S.H. Sanadi, reaffirmed the military’s commitment to robust internal controls and inter-agency cooperation in advancing anti-corruption reforms.

Speaking on behalf of the 108 inaugurated officers, R.A. Bashiru commended the Comptroller General’s digital reforms, noting that they had “operationalised integrity” within the Service.