The Nigeria immigration service has requested the establishment of a rapid response office in Alkaleri and Toro Local Government areas to track down illegal immigrants into the state.
The office when established would help checkmate influx of herders from the Sahel region and minimize activities of illegal miners.
The assistant controller general of the Nigeria immigration zone c Dr L A Abubakar made the request as part of his presentation to the Finance committee of the Bauchi State House of Assembly on a Bill for a law to establish Security Trust Fund in the state.
Dr Abubakar pointed out that the offices would also facilitate the establishment of a forward operation base between Alkaleri and yankari game reserve to allow surveillance around the grazing routes and mining areas.
The zonal controller said the immigration service would also provide intelligence gathering and reporting to end users as well as improve Security consciousness among the people.
Assistant controller general also stressed the need to capture immigration service in the board of trustees of the fund to enhance the provision of maximun inputs and intelligence analysis for the state.
He said although Nigeria is a signitory to the African charter on transhuman movement there are a lot of illegalities committed that poses security threat to the Nation.
The immigration zonal controller said the sahelian route which covers over 494 km starting from Yobe state through Zaki,Gamawa,Itas/Gadau,Ningi,to Ganjuwa and burst at Kirfi and Alkaleri is a good corridor for movement of light arms and banditry activities.
He said there is a strong correlation between banditry and mining activities as well as immigration and the state security trust fund.
In his welcome address the chairman house committee on finance Dan umma Bello appreciate the efforts of the immigration service for it’s services and urged the command to maintain the tempo.
Dan umma Bello pointed out that the House of Assembly was excited by the interest and performance of the immigration service and promised to incorporate all the inputs provided by the command to ensure the successful implementation of the Bill.
Other member of the finance committee had spoken on the need to ensure synergy between the service and traditional rulers as well as the need to fined tune the trans immigration route to be up to date.
