Gambian Immigration officials have embarked on a study tour to Nigeria to learn from their counterparts.

The team led by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Interior, Assan Tangara, was received by the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Muhammad Babandede at the Department’s Headquarters in Abuja.

The first crop of the Gambian Immigration Officers were trained at the Premier Immigration Training School, Kano, hence the long-standing relationship through the years between the Immigration agency of the two countries.

In his speech, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Interior Gambia, Tangara, observed the NIS as a model within the continent, that as a government he is In Nigeria to share common interest and appreciate the Reforms embarked upon by the Nigeria Immigration Service.

In the same vein the representative of the Director-General of The Gambia Immigration Department Olimatou Jammeh noted the contribution of the Nigeria Immigration Service to the training of the first crop of Gambian Immigration officers, all of whom have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the Gambia.

Ms Jammeh said the study tour is symbolic and historic on the grounds of mutual and bilateral relationships between the two countries.

She said it is intended to revitalise the existing good relationship especially as a leading service in the implementation of the modern migration management and the Integrated Border Management and Control in which Nigeria is the first country to implement and operationalise it.

She added that they are looking forward to learning more skills that will enhance the competence of the officers in areas like Border Management Information System, Cross-Border engagement strategies, border security and control among others.

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede thanked the visiting Gambian Immigration team for their choice of Nigeria given the recognised relationship that span years of fruitful growth and considering the fact that the present Director General of Immigration was a product of the Nigeria Immigration training many years ago.

The CGI Babandede assured the team of a very good stay in Nigeria during the study tour and advised the participants to stay focused and share ideas with their colleagues during the interactive sessions to benefit from each other’s wealth of experience and knowledge.

While thanking the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of interior, Gambia for sparing his valuable time to come on the tour with the team as a sign of support and value addition, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service advised that the Gambian team take time to discuss more freely with the Ministry of Interior, Nigeria on engaging with ECOWAS for the facilitation of such visit to other countries to avoid undue protocol across the border entry point.

The IOM team were appreciated for taking the initiative of facilitating the study tour.