A tragic assault by Boko Haram militants has claimed the life of Assistant Immigration Officer IA II Lucky, whose colleagues say paid the ultimate price while stationed at a frontline security post near Muna, Borno State.
His death has reignited concerns over the safety of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) personnel deployed to conflict zones.
Lucky, a member of the NIS Batch 13 contingent under Operation Hadin Kai, was stationed at the “Charly Company” position when insurgents launched a pre-dawn attack around 2:00 a.m. on November 30.
Eyewitnesses reported that the militants opened fire on the post before reinforcements forced them to retreat into the surrounding bushes.
Colleagues described Lucky as committed and courageous, but emphasised the dangers of placing immigration officers in direct combat situations.
“He went to his post knowing the risks, but we are not trained for frontline combat,” an NIS officer said.
“Lucky gave his life defending a position that should have been manned by soldiers, not immigration officers.”
Sources disclosed that officers on duty were heavily under-equipped, carrying only two magazines each.
“How can anyone survive against heavily armed terrorists with such limited resources?” another officer asked, expressing anger and grief over what they called an unfair deployment policy.
This incident marks yet another loss for the Batch 13 contingent, which has reportedly lost nearly four officers in similar operations.
“Every time we lose one of our own, it is a reminder of how exposed and overstretched we are,” an NIS officer lamented.
Officers are now appealing to the Comptroller General of Immigration to intervene urgently to prevent further casualties.
“The Controller General must act immediately,” a senior officer said. “We support military operations, but being forced to fight on the frontline is asking too much. Lucky should not have died like this.”
Concerns were also raised about favouritism in duty rotations, with some personnel allegedly shielded from hazardous deployments while others face repeated danger.
“We need transparency and fairness,” an officer said. “Otherwise, more lives will be lost unnecessarily.”
Security operations continue in the Muna area, a known insurgent hotspot near Maiduguri, but official statements from the Nigerian Army and the NIS spokesperson have yet to be issued.