Can NIS resolve the Ganduje revelation that 90% Almajiris in Kano not Nigerians?
The recent revelation by the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdulalhi Ganduje, that more than 90 per cent of Almajiri in the state are not Nigerians has raised a critical task for the ongoing E registration of non-Nigerians in the country by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Analysts, who have placed the sudden assignment of the NIS side-by-side with the comment of the governor, say for the fact children hardly live alone without their parents, it means that the true population of Kano may be dominated by foreigners.
On the E-registration of non-Nigerians in the country, observers further queried if the NIS has capacity to enter all the thick forests in South West and parts of Enugu State to search for foreigners and register them.
Business Hilights recalls that during his recent visit of Ooni of Ife to the presidency, he revealed that “Strange People” have taken over forests in South West.
Recall that the NIS came up with E following the spate of Insecurity in the country which several opinion leaders have traced to alien Fulani herdsmen from parts of West and North Africa.
Speaking in Lagos while decorating the newly upgraded and promoted officers at Zonal office in Ikeja recently, the Assistant Controller General of Immigration and Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos, Muhammed Alhaji Alfa, appealed to Landlords, traditional rulers, community leaders, and religious organizations to encourage tenants who are not Nigerians to key into the registration to avoid being the wrath of the law.
He further stated that the illegal immigrants would be given amnesty and the penalty expected to pay will be waived if they comply with the exercise.
According to him, “The exercise will go down to give us precisely the accurate number of expatriates and non-Nigeria in our midst. It is a wonderful development that has been practice outside of Nigeria successfully and we do hope that it will be more successful as well in Nigeria.
“It is important that officers and men are to discuss it with traditional rulers, neighbours, family, and friends as to the importance of the exercise to indicate the non Nigerians who are residing in their communities to encourage them to come forward to register”
“They should not entertain any fear that they have been staying in Nigeria irregularly and probably they will compel you to pay penalty,” ACG Alfa added.
