BENIN—Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has stressed the need for Nigerians to live in harmony and play down on factors that could divide the society.

Comrade Oshiomhole stated this yesterday when the Comptroller of Immigration Services, Edo State Command, Alhaji Abudumumi Abudumalik paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Benin City.

According to Oshiomhole, “Whoever lives in Edo State is an Edo person. Here we don’t have indigenes and we don’t have settlers. If you reside in Edo State then you are an Edo man or woman, and we have an obligation to everybody.

I think this is necessary if we are to go beyond lip service to affirm the fact that Nigeria is just one country regardless of which part of it one comes from. I am anxious that we amplify what unites us rather than what divides us.”

He emphasized the role of the Immigration Service in the fight against criminal activities and other social vices.

“When I came here, I noticed that Security Council was limited to SSS, police, the military and civil defence.

I thought that was not complete because part of the security challenge is that some of those who may be involved in crime are people who may be living in Nigeria legally or illegally and we need to know where they reside and what they are doing for a living and the only way we can have the information is to have Immigration as part of the Security Council Committee. Your participation as a body has been quite helpful,” he said.

Comrade Oshiomhole pointed out that one of the security challenges facing the nation is the issue of kidnapping, adding that from reports he has got so far, many of those involved are deportees who may, or may not be indigenes of the state.

According to the Governor, “the only way we can track down criminals and those that live on crime and assist them is through collaborative arrangement between the state government and your Service.”

Comrade Oshiomhole said that government would undertake intensive campaign to educate the people of the state on the need to embrace the new e–passport.