The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has prevented 332 migrants from entering the country through the Seme border due to irregular travel documents, highlighting ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration.
Comptroller General Kemi Nandap announced the interception during a one-day Stakeholders Sensitisation Seminar titled “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated Response,” held yesterday in Abuja.
Nandap revealed that immigration border patrols halted the migrants for lacking valid papers.
She also reported denying exit to 294 Nigerian nationals suspected of involvement in migrant smuggling linked to the “Japa syndrome” – the mass emigration trend.
Additionally, 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour were rescued at the same border.Emphasizing the need for robust border management, Nandap described migrant smuggling as a complex, transnational crime threatening Nigerians' safety and dignity.
She advocated for a multi-sector, coordinated national strategy to address its evolving patterns.
In a separate development, the House of Representatives has sounded the alarm on Nigeria's border vulnerabilities, revealing that only 84 of the country's 1,978 entry points are officially manned, leaving 1,894 unmanned and prone to illegal activities like arms smuggling, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Border Security, Isa Anka, disclosed these figures at the panel's inauguration in Abuja yesterday, citing a recent Research Gate report.
Nigeria spans 923,768 square kilometres with approximately 36,450 kilometres of land and sea borders, adjoining Benin to the west, Niger and Chad to the north, and Cameroon to the east.
Anka attributed the porous borders to inadequate funding, poor logistics, outdated surveillance equipment, personnel shortages, and challenging terrains including forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains.
He lamented that despite over N9 trillion in government spending on security in recent years, tangible improvements remain elusive.“Nigeria is witnessing an escalation in cross-border threats,” Anka said.
“We must address contributing factors like resource deficits and difficult landscapes to plug these gaps.”
The committee pledged to develop strategies and recommendations to minimize illegal activities and bolster national security.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen highlighted the mandate's gravity, urging the panel to overhaul border security architecture.
He warned that porous borders pose economic and existential risks, calling for inter-agency synergy, intelligence sharing, community involvement, transparency, and strict oversight of security funds.
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