By Jennifer John
The Nigerian Immigration Service, Imo State Command, Tuesday celebrated its Diamond anniversary (60th anniversary), during which it gave out the award of excellence to former Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, and other benefactors.
Presenting the award, Assistant Controller of Immigration Service, in charge of zone E, Owerri, Mrs. Beatrice Obiageli Elo Okoye, assisted by the Controller of Immigration, Imo State, Nkechi Ezugwu, appreciated the invaluable contributions of Captain Iheanacho to the emancipation of the Nigerian Immigration Service, especially during his time as Minister of Interior.
Appreciating the award given to him, Captain Iheanacho described the sixty years of existence of the service as one packed with achievements, expressing joy in being able to celebrate with them and also receiving the award.
“It is a wonderful service, one that I was very proud of when I was the Honourable Minister of Interior.
“In the beginning, they had a very modest target they had to achieve, which was border security and migration management. But what have they achieved today? It is like every day of the last 60 years, they have been innovative, they are wonderful people”.
He acknowledged that the service has given women a conducive atmosphere to thrive, as the three categories of its leaders; National, zonal, and state Controllers recognized at the occasion were women and have utilized their ingenuity for the wonderful achievements the service has been recording.
“They (the Immigration service) have gone beyond the sky, because every year that they are in existence, they think up new things they can do. They were not originally established to make money for the government, but they have made billions in dollars and naira.
“I want to say to you, ladies and gentlemen of the service, that Captain Iheanacho has always been proud of you. I was proud of you when I was the Honourable Minister of Interior, and I remain proud of you after I left government, and now that I have come down to attend this function, it is a validation of the reason I feel so proud of you”.
Earlier in their separate addresses, the Assistant Controller of Immigration Service, in charge of zone E, Owerri, Mrs. Beatrice Obiageli Elo Okoye, and the Controller of Immigration TV, Imo State, Nkechi Ezugwu, went down memory lane to trace the history of the service which served as a branch of the Nigerian Police before it was made a separate entity in 1958.
They said the service is saddled with the responsibility of migration management, in terms of migrants coming in and going out, travel documents, including passports issued in Nigeria and outside the country, to bonafide Nigerians.
Other dignitaries at the occasion included; the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chike Olemgbe, (represented), Imo State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Okey Anukwuem, Former Minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, heads of almost all sister security agencies in the state, the clergy, traditional rulers, representative of corporate bodies in the state, among others.
Highpoint of the celebration was the cutting of the anniversary cake and the presentation of awards of excellence to friends and benefactors of the Service.
