The Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Zone A, Lagos, Mr. Echefulam Anugwa, has called for stronger collaboration among security agencies to tackle human and drug trafficking at the nation’s border posts.
Anugwa, who is also the Zonal Coordinator for Lagos and Ogun States, gave the charge on Wednesday during a one-day working visit to the Seme Border Command and Lagos State Border Patrol Command of the NIS.
According to him, security agencies must work together to effectively combat the complex challenges of cross-border crimes.
“Our duties at the border should not be taken lightly. We need each other to succeed together. We have to work in collaboration because when the chips are down, security is also down.
“We must involve ourselves in intelligence sharing, joint operations, and the use of technology like biometric verification and data analytics at borders to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks. The goal is to create a united front against these threats, which often link to broader criminal activities like cultism and human trafficking,” Anugwa said.
The ACG assured officers that he would liaise with headquarters to provide more operational vehicles for effective patrols.
He added that newly procured uniforms and identification cards would soon be distributed to personnel to enhance professionalism.
He commended the Seme and Lagos Border Patrol Commands for their efforts in maintaining sanity at the border despite operational challenges.
In his remarks, Mr. Abdullahi Adamu, Comptroller of Seme Command, appreciated the visit, noting that officers of the command had been working in synergy with other security agencies to curb trafficking activities.
Similarly, Mr. Peter Adache, Controller of the Lagos Border Patrol Command, revealed that the command had intercepted over 100 victims of human trafficking, who were subsequently resettled with their families.
Anugwa and his entourage also paid a courtesy visit to the Akran of Badagry, where they received royal blessings.
At the palace, some chiefs raised concerns over the proliferation of security checkpoints along the Agbara–Badagry–Seme border corridor. They appealed to the ACG to help address alleged cases of extortion by security personnel against residents who commute daily on the route.
