By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has assured the Lagos state government and residents of their avowed commitment towards enhancing tight security in all the borders even as it appealed to the state government for inclusion into the weekly State Security Council meeting.

NIS state Controller, Mr. Abass Ahmed gave the assurance on Friday when he led a delegation of his officers on a courtesy visit to Governor Fashola at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

The Comptroller, Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, Alhaji Abass Ahmed (left) the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right), during a courtesy call on the Governor by the Comptroller and other senior officers of the Service at State House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Friday, September 9, 2011.

He said, “We are security conscious and we are on top of security challenges; please consider us as a worthy partner and part of your state security council meetings; the way we handle security is quite different from the way soldiers or Police would handle it even though we work towards same goal that is safeguarding the state from threat.”

While commending Fashola for the existing cooperation with the NIS, he argued that while the Police settle for ordinary crimes, “We are known for handling state crimes especially those that affect the integrity of the country; we are talking of issues like terrorism.”

He, however, appealed to the state government to provide land to enable the service build the planned two-bedroom flats for the staff as directed by the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Mrs. Rose Chioma.

Fashola in his response, commended the efforts of NIS boss in the state saying;“It is a good thing, as a matter of fact commendable that you are able to achieve the creation of additional office; the difficulty of Nigeria is seeing through dream to reality, but you conceived and hatched it, I congratulate you.”

He stated that Immigration service is most strategically placed because of its geographical position to fight external threat adding that, “You must rise up to the challenge of the country; demonstrate to Nigerians that your duties are much more than just issuing passports.”