The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has promoted 7,000 of its personnel to their new ranks.

This is contained in a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Kenneth Kure, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Kure said that the promotions are contained in a letter signed by the Secretary of the Immigration, Civil Defense, Correctional and Fire Service Board (CDCFIB), Alhaji Jafaru Ahmed.

Kure, himself promoted to Assistant Comptroller, said the personnel comprised senior officers who passed regular examinations and junior staff upgraded for acquiring additional qualifications.

He also said the acting Comptroller-General of Immigration Service (CGIS), Adepoju Wuro-Ola, had approved the appointment of Mr Tony Akuneme, as Comptroller, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, while Comptroller Joseph Dada becomes the new Principal Staff Officer to the acting Comptroller-General.

“Mr Dada, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, has served in various commands in the NIS and was until his recent appointment, the Comptroller in-charge of Marine Border Corps in the Service Headquarters.

“It will be recalled that 12 Comptrollers were recently redeployed to different states, including FCT, Kano, Jigawa, Ondo, Ogun, and Mfum Border Control, among others,” the spokesman said.

Addressing officers and men of the Service during a monthly parade, Kure said, the acting CGIS charged them to put the image of the job above personal interests.

He quoted Adepoju as saying that NIS is one of the most noble institutions and the first agency that any visitor to Nigeria would meet upon arrival.

According to the spokesman, Adepoju  promised to prioritise personnel welfare and vowed that promotion would be strictly based on seniority.

“It is disheartening to see senior officers stagnated and their juniors elevated over them.

“Any staff who is not well motivated cannot guarantee quality output.”