The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has stopped 294 Nigerians from leaving the country and denied entry to 332 undocumented migrants at the Seme border amid rising migrant smuggling concerns.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has intercepted 294 Nigerians attempting to leave the country under suspicious circumstances and denied entry to 332 undocumented migrants at the Seme border.
According to a report from DAILY TRUST, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS), Kemi Nandap, disclosed this on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ sensitization seminar in Abuja themed “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated National Response.”
Nandap said the interceptions were made possible through intensified border surveillance aided by newly installed CCTV cameras, adding that 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour were also rescued during the operations.
“These are not annual statistics; they occurred within a short period, highlighting the scale of the problem we are dealing with,” she stated.
Expressing concern over the “Japa” phenomenon, Nandap lamented that many young Nigerians continue to risk their lives in search of better opportunities abroad.
“It is very disheartening when you see young people risking their lives because they feel the grass is greener on the other side,” she said.
She further noted that migrant smuggling has become “more complex and transnational,” revealing that the NIS is collaborating with local and international partners to strengthen laws, raise public awareness, and enhance inter-agency cooperation.