The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs. Kemi Nandap, has directed Zonal Heads, State Command Comptrollers and Divisional Immigration Officers nationwide to intensify surveillance at the borders.

Nandap also announced the “temporary suspension of all leave applications,” by personnel of the service, urging them to rise to the occasion.

This follows growing calls for a nationwide protest from August 1 – 10, 2024.

The service public relations officer, Mr. Kenneth Udo, revealed these developments in a statement he signed Saturday titled ‘Planned protest: CGIS expresses readiness to secure Nigeria’s borders.’

Udo said the directives are “in keeping with the responsibility of safeguarding the nation’s gateways placed on the shoulders of the Service, officers especially Heads of Border Commands.”

She urged personnel to “rise to the occasion by ensuring that no foreign element can take advantage of the protest to destabilise the country.”

“She directs temporary suspension of all Leave applications and charges officers to exercise utmost professionalism and patriotism in the discharge of their duties during and after the protest, explaining that Nigeria is the only country we have as our own,” the statement continued.

The Immigration Chief also assured Nigerians of the Service’s preparedness to safeguard the Nation’s borders to enhance national security.

The August 1 planned protest comes on the heels of similar demonstrations in Kenya, from which experts say Nigerians may have drawn inspiration.

Kenyan youths have staged massive protests for weeks, forcing President William Ruto’s government to backtrack on tax hikes. Organisers used social media platforms like X and Instagram to mobilise millions of young Kenyans for protests—a similar strategy deployed on Nigerian social media space.

In October 2020, Nigeria saw massive protests nationwide when thousands of young people demonstrated against police brutality.

The protests, whichh were later hijacked, turned violent, with billions of naira worth of properties destroyed and bloodshed, which organisers blamed on the security forces who denied using live rounds. (Saturday PUNCH)