COVID-19: NIS preparedness and human mobility management

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The Nigeria Immigration Service with workforce at the Land, Air and Sea Border frontiers and hinterland offices are the first contact with migrants who travels by road through the land border, by air through the airport, by Sea through the seaports stepped-up its Migration Management and Control measures in line with Federal Government directives on restriction of International Flights into and out of Nigeria and subsequent land Border Closure to mitigate against human mobility that aids the spread of the covid-19 from person to person, and place to place thereby increasing the vulnerability ratio, but with the restrictions human mobility is controlled, person to person contact also reduced either in vehicles used on roads along the borderlines, passengers on-board aircrafts that transverse nation-states either on direct, transit or chartered flights with high risk due to the number on flight and from different countries travelling to different locations, also those by sea travels in numbers on board ships some on direct and others indirect voyage on the sea anchoring at different locations before getting to the final destination or transit country, passengers are in confinement in the ship for a more longer period than the vehicles on land and aircrafts that travels within hours, the ships takes months from the country of origin to the transit and destination country thereby increasing vulnerability among travelers with corresponding risk to the people at the destination country. 2The government directive was conveyed by directive of the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede MFR to all the heads of Nigeria Immigration Service formations that have entry and exit points in the form of Land and Sea borders and the Airports to check human mobility through the various entry and exit points, with the internal lock down the land lock states that have no borders are to work hand in hand with state governments to ensure compliance alongside with other Security and Response Agencies to control inter-state travelers from spreading the disease among the citizens. 3.Efforts are being put in place to reduce person to person contact in our service windows at the Airports, Passport Offices and other operational offices where the general public patronizes the service for one facility or the other for process of travel documents, residency papers, renewals and revalidation of all known Immigration documents for travels, residence and work permits within this period with temporary Suspension measures enforced. 4.The Nigeria Immigration Service Operatives as essential service providers are on stand-by, while emergency contact lines for contacting the NIS are put up for assistance and enquiries 07080607900,08119753844,08147199908 with officers working to provide helpline on phone. 5The NIS in full support of government efforts is advising all those in need of emergency facility requirements to stay at home and make contacts through the emergency contact lines provided without necessarily visiting our offices for this period, while the temporary Suspension of passport processing and migrant registration remain in force until the order is reviewed in line with Federal Government directive.

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