By Kennedy Sheyin
The Comptroller- General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, has warned the Boarder Control and Immigration Management System (BCIMS) training graduates against over-dependent on the system.
Nandap issued the warning at the closing ceremony of the specialised BCIMS training at the NIS headquarters on Friday in Abuja.
She highlighted the responsibility that came with the completion of the training, noting that the end of the training marked the beginning of the measurement of the success of the system.
“Technology we all know, gives us information, but it does not give us judgment. An alert is not a verdict, a risk indicator calls for careful, proportionate examination.
“Technology never replaces evidence, professional judgment, or respect for the rights of the travelers standing in front of you. This means that the bulk of the work still lies on you.
“It can accelerate change, but only good leadership and disciplined officers can sustain it.
“The same is true of every tool that this system places in your hands because you have those tools, but you as the officer bear the responsibility to guard that tool,” she said.
She added that technology supported decisions, but does not make them, noting that every output remained subject to human verification and oversight.
“Let no officer believe that the system alone will secure our borders. Systems do not exercise courage, database do not demonstrate integrity and devices do not take responsibility; people do.
“No technology is infallible. Poor data produces poor analysis and unchecked alerts will still cause harm. Every officer must know when to trust the result, when to verify it and when to escalate it,” she stressed.
The CG also charged the personnel on accuracy, warning that every entry made constituted part of a national record and a careless entry could mislead another officer.
“Verify what you record and correct errors only through the approved channels and procedures. Never invent, omit or alter information for convenience,” she said.
She further demanded integrity from the officers, highlighting that access to the system wasn’t a personal privilege but a position of trust.
She warned them against sharing their credentials, search records out of curiosity, or using the platform to grant favours, settle scores or facilitate improper passage.
According to her, any abuse will be investigated and punished accordingly.
“Firm security and fair treatment are marks of professionalism, and all actions must be documented and escalated properly where necessary.”
Nandap emphasised on accountability and explained that every action on the platform could be reviewed, tracked and looked into where need be.
According to her, the measure of success will be determined by outcomes, improvements and not just ceremonies.
“The measure is not how many officers were trained or how many devices were issued, but the harder questions of how accurate our records are, are checks conducted consistently?, and are alerts escalated correctly and promptly?
“We will also ask ourselves if the systems are available when officers need them and if travelers are treated lawfully and with respect. These are the questions that will judge whether this is a success or not.”
The immigration comptroller-general said that the NIS was working towards becoming a service that was technologically advanced, institutionally trusted, operationally effective, and internationally respected and accepted.
She said that the completion of the BCIMS training was a deliberate national effort toward strengthening security institutions, modernising public service delivery, and equipping personnel for the challenges ahead.
She also said that the service had continued to strengthen its cooperations with national and international partners with its contribution to wider security architecture while making legitimate cooperation more effective.
She appreciated President Bola Tinubu for his support to the NIS and other national security institutions under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
NAN