The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has refused entry to 332 migrants at the Seme Border due to their failure to present valid travel documents.
The Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a one-day stakeholder sensitisation event on “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated National Response.”
Mrs Nandap emphasised the recent achievements of the service, noting that the NIS has bolstered its legal and institutional frameworks while expanding training programmes to enhance officers’ ability to detect and prevent smuggling activities.
“Recently, our border patrol at Seme denied entry to 332 migrants who lacked valid travel documents. Furthermore, 294 Nigerians, suspected of attempting irregular migration under the ‘Japa Syndrome,’ were prevented from leaving the country,” she stated.
She also mentioned that 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour were rescued at the border, a success attributed to the installation of new CCTV cameras at strategic locations.
The NIS CG assured that the NIS would continue to collaborate with international and regional partners, including the AU, ECOWAS, EU, IOM, UNODC, INTERPOL, and the Federal German Police, to enhance intelligence sharing and joint operations.
“The fight against the smuggling of migrants is not only a security imperative but also a moral obligation. Every smuggled migrant represents a life in danger and a family disrupted,” Mrs Nandap remarked.
She urged government agencies, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector to maintain collaboration, stressing that no single institution can tackle migrant smuggling alone.
“Our success relies on presenting a united national front guided by protection, accountability, and human dignity. Together, we can create a Nigeria where safe and regular migration becomes the norm,” she added.
(NAN)
