Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has called on the officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to be more vigilant to check the influx of foreigners into the state. Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday before he was presented with the new 64-page e-passport by the State Comptroller of the NIS, Mr. E.D. Taylor-Harry, Fayemi said the call became necessary following reports of arrival of some people from some Ebola-hit countries .
The state Immigration boss also presented the wife of the governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, with the new passport shortly after her personal data and that of her husband were collected.
Describing the processing and collection of the new passport by Nigerians as a civic duty as good citizens, Fayemi said his presentation with the new e-passport signaled the commencement of the exercise in the state.
While noting that the possession of the new passport is not a right but a privilege, Fayemi advocated that every Nigerian should be encouraged to have a copy of the document.
He described the document as another form of identity card that will be useful for Nigerians anywhere they find themselves.
While noting that the state command of the NIS has always lived up to expectation, he stressed the need for a further strengthening of the Service to deal with the influx of foreigners into the state.
Fayemi said, “I want to say that I am impressed with the service of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Ekiti State but I hope that the Service will be strengthened.
“I have received stories of people coming from Sierra Leone and Liberia to Ekiti State. Your Comptroller General has called for monitoring of those coming from Ebola-prone countries. “I want you to intensify your efforts on those coming from outside the state.
“So far, we have not had any case of Ebola and it is not likely we are going to have any because of the measures we had already put in place”.
Earlier, Taylor-Harry said the NIS has the capacity to make the new 64-page passport available to Nigerians to facilitate their journey to any part of the world.
He said the launch of the new passport by President Goodluck Jonathan has opened the way for other Nigerians to own the document for ease of movement.
Taylor-Harry urged all residents of Ekiti State to avail themselves of the opportunity of owning the new passport.
Last modified: September 11, 2014