By Chioma Onuegbu Uyo

THE Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, said it has concluded plans to tighten all marine borders across the country to checkmate influx of persons with shady characters into the country.

The Acting Comptroller General of NIS, Mrs Caroline Adepoju, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on Saturday in Uyo after a-two day familiarisation tour of the Akwa Ibom State Command.

Adepoju noted that Akwa Ibom command has the longest coastal borders that must not be left porous to avoid nefarious activities within the maritime environment.

She added that since Government had tightened air and land borders across the country, marine borders would not be left porous.

Her words: “Like I said, the Akwa Ibom State Command houses one of our longest coastal borders and we are working hard as we have done in the air and land borders, we want to tighten the security around coastal borders.

“We don’t want the marine area, the blue borders of Nigeria to be porous. We don’t want people of shady characters to perpetrate nefarious activities using our blue borders.

“That is why I am here and since I came, I discovered that in Nigeria Immigration Service, we have trained officers, we have dedicated officers, we have people who are willing to work, but we are in need of logistics.

“We need the Government to help us, we need gunboats to be able to patrol our coastal borders. We need good offices and residential accommodation for our personnel, who are working in these coastal borders,”

Continuing, She assured officers and men of the command that government would continue to attach great importance to their welfare.

“I want to let you know that the welfare of personnel is paramount to me as the head of this organisation. Day and night, I think on how I can better your lots.

“Like we have done in the headquarters, we are conscious of difficulties associated with transportation these days, because of the changes in price of fuel. We have deployed some vehicles to assist them in their transportation.

“God willing, depending on the availability of funds, I will ensure that we send something for you here. As for your promotion, promotion is very crucial in boosting the moral of officers. I want you to know that your promotion will be based on seniority, merit, hard work and professionalism.

“And there will be no other consideration than excellence.I can assure you that when the time comes for promotion those who are are qualified will be promoted,” she said.