The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has keyed into partnership with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to ensure that human rights of migrants are protected at every point of their movement in and out of Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN) secured the partnership when he led a delegation of his management team on a courtesy visit to the Comptroller General of Immigration, Idris Isah Jere.
The Chief Human Rights Officer in Nigeria used the opportunity to reiterate the need to manage migration issues in accordance with the provisions of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), which made it mandatory for UN Member nations to protect the rights of all categories of migrants without discrimination.
Against this backdrop, the NHRC Boss handed over the Commission’s letter seeking partnereship with the NIS to the Comptroller General, preparatory to setting up a Technical Working Group involving some staff of NHRC, NIS and other relevant stakeholders.
Speaking further at the event, the legal luminary told the Comptroller General who was flanked by his management team that “time has come for a structured approach for our work in both organisations”.
He said that training staff of the NIS on the need to adhere to human rights principles in migration issues cannot be overemphasized.
He pointed out that migrants deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
According to Ojukwu, the nation’s boarder remained the first point of call for any visitor or foreigner and the character that the persons he meets exhibits, tells a lot about the entire country.
He observed that though people were sometimes compelled to leave their country for economic reasons, a good number of them contribute immensely to the domestic economy, with high remittances coming back to the country. So we owe them the duty of ensuring that their rights are not violated.
In his response, the Controller General of NIS, Idris Isah Jere commended the Executive Secretary and his team for what he described as an important visit that will culminate in better human rights protection of migrants.
He said that the NIS was a critical agency that must work in collaboration with the Commission in this regard.
He therefore assured the Commission that its letter of partnership is approved on arrival and that the NIS will do the needful towards the success of the partnereship.
The NIS Boss used the occasion to highlight the efforts being made by his organisation to ensure that only bonifide Nigerians are issued International Passport.
He noted the International Passport more than an identity documents, as it can also confer other rights to any citizen who obtains it.
He therefore advised Nigerians to always ensure that they follow the due process in seeking International Passport, added that doing so will enable them to have a proper migration.
