CG, NIS, Muhammad Babandede

The Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, says the service is committed to combating illegal migration of citizens through unsafe routes either by land or sea and this would be achieved by a global approach.

This was made known by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr Sunday James, in Abuja on Tuesday.

James said Babandede made the statement at the ongoing two-day Inter-governmental Conference to adopt “the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration” in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 164 UN member-states unanimously adopted the Global Compact for Migration.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said that the unanimous adoption of the Global Compact was an emotional moment for him, having been directly involved with migration issues in his official functions back in the years as a civil society volunteer.

He said with better international cooperation, it would be possible to invest more in countries of origin and create conditions for people to have an option to stay in their own country and build lives.

“I do believe that better international cooperation will also open the way for more opportunities for legal migration, taking into account the needs of markets, demography and the situation of different countries in the world.”

“I believe that this Compact would also help substantially in creating the conditions for a more balance development in countries of origin, avoiding the forced migration,’’ he said.

He said that the document, as adopted by the conference, would be sent to the General Assembly for endorsement.
NAN reports that the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is a framework for cooperation and aims to reduce illegal migration, help integrate migrants and return them to their home countries.

(NAN)