AUTOMATED INTEGRATION OF NIS STOLEN/LOST TRAVEL DOCUMENT (SLTD) TO INTERPOL DATABASE MAKES NIGERIA FIRST LEADING COUNTRY IN AFRICA
The Nigeria Immigration Service INTERPOL i-24/7 Desk recorded an unprecedented breakthrough by the automation and integration of its system for the monitoring of Stolen and Lost Travel Documents which the Service deployed for the uploading of 150,000 Stolen and Lost Travel Documents between 14th February 2020 to 7th September 2020 into INTERPOL Global System (IPSG) in Lyon, France and successfully completed the automation and integration of the tool on Monday 07/09/2020.
A release signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI James Sunday stated that 150,000 SLTD uploaded records in INTERPOL data base makes Nigeria the first (1st) ranking in Africa and 54th in the world according to INTERPOL POLICE GLOBAL SYSTEM (IPSG) ranking. Nigeria today is the leading first and only African country to have fully automated its Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database.
He noted that the success was achieved with the immense support of the INTERPOL GLOBAL SYSTEM (IPSG), UNITED STATES NATIONAL CENTRAL BUREAU (USNCB) Washington, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and NATIONAL CENTRAL BUREAU (NCB) of the Nigerian Police Force Abuja.
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, MFR, who commended agencies mentioned above for their support in making the automation and integration successful, said that it will go a long way in curbing identity theft and use of Stolen and Lost Travel Documents by criminal elements seeking to hide their identities to cross national borders and engaged in illicit activities worldwide.
“By this development, Nigerians are advised to desist from using fake, altered, invalidated, withdrawn, stolen and lost travel, since the documents are automatically made available to 194 member countries of INTERPOL”, the CG said.
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service therefore warned holders of Nigerian Passports not to use such re-issued Passport anywhere in the world as failure will lead to arrest and prosecution.
