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The federal government is leaving no stone unturned in its effort to curb insurgence activities and to keep Nigeria safe. Yesterday, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) confirmed the arrest of two Nigerians who were alleged be planning to shelter the wanted ISIS chief, Ahmed Al Assir in their home.

The ISIS man had been said to have procured Nigerian visa in a rather controversial manner, which many thought must have been engineered by the NIS, but the body  had denied playing any part in the process that led to the issuance of the Nigerian visa to the wanted ISIS chief in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, residents of Kirchinga, in Adamawa State, marked the independence day in anguish following the attack on the village by Boko Haram terrorists, slitting the throats of five residents of the area in an early morning attack. The village is the hometown of former acting governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.

A resident of the village, Ahmad Musa, in a telephone interview, said the insurgents struck the village at about 12:30am on Thursday and started firing sporadic shots while razing down buildings, making residents to flee into nearby bushes.

The source said the insurgents slaughtered five people who were trapped, including three women and two men. Spokesman of the NIS, King Ekpedeme, a Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, said two men connected to Al Assir, with whom he was supposed to live with in Nigeria, had been arrested in Kano and immediately handed over to the National Security Adviser, General Babagana Monguno (rtd).

The Comptroller-General of the NIS, Martin Abeshi, who debunked any complicity of the Service, while speaking at a news conference in Abuja, said: “From the records available, the Immigration Service did not issue that visa. It might be the officials of the foreign affairs ministry because they also issue visa on our behalf.” Abeshi, however, said the NIS went into action to arrest those connected to Al Assir immediately it got intelligence report that he was coming to Nigeria. He stated further: “When we were told that Al Assir was heading to Nigeria, the people the man was coming to visit were identified by our men. Our officers in Kano went into action and arrested the two of them immediately and handed them over to the National Security Adviser.”

Ekpedeme also confirmed that the comptroller-general has threatened to publish the names of former ministers, governors and members of the National and State Assemblies who are illegally in possession of official and diplomatic passports. "I am advising that those who have not returned these facilities (diplomatic and official passports) should bring them, because very soon, I will publish the names of those who collected official and diplomatic passports.” He made this statement in Abuja yesterday at a public function.

The NIS boss stated that the passports could also be submitted to comptrollers of the state commands all over the country who have been mandated to collect the documents from the illegal holders. He however did not give a deadline for the submission.