The management of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has successfully pulled out the 16th Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede MFR from the Service in a special occasion yesterday after a meritorious sojourn..
The Pull Out Ceremony which was attended by a retinue of important dignitaries, held at the Parade Ground Service Headquarters along Musa Yar’adua Expressway, Sauka Village Abuja.
The colourful Pull-Out Parade was the first of its kind for a retiring Comptroller General of the Service and was witnessed by three past Comptrollers General, Rose Chiyere Uzoma mni, Senator UK Umar, RB Musa mni, and the Acting Comptroller General, Idris Isah Jere.
Speaking at the event, CGI Babandede (rtd) said that he has made his contributions to the Service especially in emplacing some giant reform efforts that saw the Service winning some awards including that of the most reformed government agency in 2017 by the Presidentaial Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC). He pioneered the Visa Reform Policy for the country as well as delivered the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) for effective border security.
The NIS MIDAS archictecture is linked with the INTERPOL Database for real time online border security and migration management activities.
Under his watch the Service was able to upload over 150,000 stolen and lost travel documents for effective migration management.
The outgoing Comptroller General also ensured the conception and completion of the NIS Technology Building, a facility that has placed the Service at the centre of global intelligence community.
The Command and Control Centre in the Building, is equiped with modern border security and migration management infrastructure for effective and efficient intelligence gathering and sharing.
In his remarks, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commended the outgoing Comptroller General for developing the Nigeria Visa Policy a move that boosted Foreign Direct Investments and tourism in the country and implemented a Border Management Manual that has impacted positively on border security.
The Minister noted that the outgoing Comptroller General cooperated tremendously with the Ministry especiallly in adding values to any conversations on migration matters. He described him as an intelligent Officer and a gentleman.
It would be recalled that the outgoing Comptroller General, Muhammad Babandede had on Friday, 10th September 2021, handed over the leadership of the Service to Idris Isah Jere as acting Comptroller General.
The highlight of the event was the pullig out of the outgoing Comptroller General in an aesthetically decorated NIS Pulling Van that had the acting Comptroller General, Idris Isah Jere and other top management staff of the Service in the train.
The event which was well attended, had important personalities including the Governor of Jigawa, Muhammad Abubakar Badaru MON, the Emir of Hadejia, His Royal Highness Alh. Dr. Adamu Abubakar Maje CON, the representative of Chief of Army Staff Maj. Gen. MG Kangye, the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman fdc, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isah Ali Pantani, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Interior, Hon. Nasiru Zango Daura, Commandant General of NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi PhD mni among others.
