Metro
Nigerian Immigration Partners NAPTIP, IOM, Others on Capacity Building
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has held a one-day senior management meeting with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), development partners, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and Port Health Services as part of efforts to flag off the second phase of NIS Training Strategy Implementation Programme (TSI).
A statement signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer Mr Amos Okpu, and made available to National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), stated that the Training Strategy Implementation programme is one of the IOM supported capacity building activities targeted at border and migration management agencies in Nigeria. It is aimed at improving the knowledge and operational capacities of our Personnel and those of other relevant agencies including NAPTIP and Port Health Officials in managing the unfolding migratory realities.
The first phase of the programme implementation which spanned the period of 2017-2019 afforded participating agencies the opportunity to deepen interagency collaboration, understanding and synergy in contending with the issues of migrant smuggling and trafficking. It was during the period that IOM in collaboration with the Service established seven Personnel Training Resource Centres (PTRCs) in locations across the country such as the Service Headquarters in Abuja, Kano, Cross River, Lagos, Kebbi, Ondo and Anambra States. The PTRCs locations are online-based study facilities that have allowed some of our Personnel the opportunity to upscale their skills on modern Border security efforts and migration management. A total of 2606 Personnel of the Service and 190 Officials from NAPTIP have so far benefitted from training interventions at the Centres. Meanwhile, the government of Netherlands has indicated interests to support the second phase of the Training Strategy Implementation programme for the period 2021-2023. Activities for the period shall include upgrade of the existing training curriculum/trainer’s guide and learning management system.
Speaking at the event, the acting Comptroller General, Isah Jere Idris, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller General in-charge of Visa and Residency Directorate, Ishaka Abdulmumini Haliru, described the PTRCs and interventions from the IOM as essential catalysts for skills upgrades for Officers and Men as well as an avenue for interagency collaboration and partnership among frontline agencies like the NIS, NAPTIP and the Department of Port Health Services. “The opportunity provided by the joint training efforts from IOM has been of tremendous help in building and sustaining the much needed synergy between the two agencies charged with migrants smuggling and trafficking in persons in Nigeria”, he continued. He further tasked Command Comptrollers to add value to the Personnel Training Centres by way of instituting sound maintenance culture to preserve the existing infrastructure and learning materials across the Centres.
In her remarks, the Director General of NAPTIP, Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi, stated that IOM has consistently supported programmes that enhance capacity of frontline operatives. She called on respective agencies to leverage on the contributions of donor agencies and improve on what has been put in place in their organizations. She further called on both NIS and NAPTIP to continue complementing each other in the fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking.
In his contribution, , the Director Port Health Services, Dr. Geoffrey Okatubo said Border Health Security has in recent times become more crucial especially with the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and now the emergence of Monkey pox. He praised the current robust synergy between his agency and the Service and stressed that more collaborative efforts from all critical partners have become imperative healthy relationships for enhanced service delivery to the people.
Earlier, the representative of the government of the Netherlands Eva De Wit stated that the second phase of the programme shall aim at strengthening joint capacity building efforts for border agencies as well as upscale curriculum development efforts for enhanced learning. The Chief of Mission, IOM Nigeria Prestage Murina called on the different the agencies to institutionalize training and retraining as a way of improving the capacity of the officials involved in border management. She added that plans are underway to establish four additional PTRCs in other Formations in the Service. The Personnel Training and R@esource Center (PTRC), is a collaborative effort between the NIS, IOM, governments of Germany and Netherlands.
A major highlight of the event was the launching of some publications on gender mainstreaming, roadmap/action plan for programme continuation and the updated strategy text.
A middle-aged woman, Christine Chika Anyanwu, who was paralysed for one year, has shared the incredible story of how she miraculously regained the use of her legs.
Anyanwu who lives in the United Kingdom gave her testimony at Zion Ministry, Okota, Lagos, last Wednesday. She disclosed that her problem started on March 26, 2025, when she collapsed at work in London and became unconscious, and was later diagnosed with functional neurological disorder.
After four months of admission in the hospital, she was discharged to continue treatment from home. She suffered several falls and multiple seizures at home and damaged her spine, and this compounded the problem. She was confined to a wheelchair for one year, with all the medical specialists she consulted in the United Kingdom saying she was unlikely to walk again.
Anyanwu said she was on the verge of giving up on life, but decided to make one final effort by heeding her mother’s counsel to seek for God’s intervention at Zion Prayer Movement Outreach in Lagos. Despite discouragement from siblings and a Catholic Nun who warned her not to go to Zion, and against the advice of her doctors not to travel over a long distance in her condition, she embarked on the trip to Lagos.
It was at last Wednesday’s Adoration programme of the ministry, that the Spiritual Director, Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, who noticed the woman confined to a mobility scooter, conducted a deliverance and prayer session for her.
What followed threw the auditorium into a frenzy as Anyanwu who had neither used her legs not stood up from her wheelchair got up from the scooter and started walking. When she returned to share her testimony, her siblings and the Nun who advised her against going to Zion Ministry now joined in celebrating her healing.
As part of efforts to ensure a transparent recruitment of 50,000 police constables, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has co-opted the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) as a critical partner in the screening process.
Head of Protocol and Public Affairs at PSC Headquarters, Abuja, Torty Njoku Kalu, said in a statement on Thursday that the decision was jointly taken during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the PSC in Abuja.
According to him, this forms part of the final preparations for the physical and credentials screening stage of the recruitment exercise, scheduled to commence on Monday, March 9, 2026, at designated locations across all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd.), commended the PCRC for its relentless sacrifices and commitment to national security. He acknowledged PCRC’s tradition of investing personal resources in national security, and urged it to bring that same level of dedication to the recruitment process.
“The Commission is resolutely poised to ensure that only the finest and most credible Nigerians wear the uniform of a police constable. An effective police force is built on the quality of its recruitment,” DIG Argungu stated.
“This is why we have called upon you, the PCRC, and other stakeholders to serve as the guardians of this process.”
He charged the PCRC state chairmen to work with PSC officials, state employment and career departments, as well as the NPF State Intelligence Department (SID), to scrutinise applicants.
Their mandate includes verifying character traits to prevent individuals with questionable backgrounds from infiltrating the Force.
Responding on behalf of the PCRC National Chairman, Alhaji Ibraheem Olaniyan, the Deputy National President (North), Amb. Wada Sadiq, expressed profound gratitude to the PSC for the confidence reposed in them.
He pledged the Committee’s full support in selecting credible Nigerians for the Force.
The Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, has reportedly removed Benjamin Hundeyin as the Force Public Relations Officer (PRO) and replaced him with a new appointee, though the name hasn’t been officially announced.
Hundeyin was previously serving as the Lagos Command PRO before being promoted to the national role.
This move comes as part of Disu’s efforts to revamp the Nigeria Police Force and improve its public image.
As the 23rd IGP, Disu has emphasized professionalism, accountability, and transparency, warning officers that there will be no tolerance for misconduct or abuse of power.
