Our Correspondent|25 January 2017
The Cross River command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday said it repatriated no fewer than 792 illegal immigrants back to their countries while 65 trafficked victims were also rescued in 2016.
Mrs Funke Adeuyi, the state Comptroller of NIS, disclosed this in Calabar when the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mrs Cristina Albertin, and her team paid her a courtesy visit in her office.
Adeuyi told Albertin that the illegal immigrants were arrested at different border posts across the state and brought to the command’s headquarters in Calabar.
According to her, the command did a thorough profiling of the immigrants and found out that they were not having their valid traveling document needed to gain entrance into Nigeria.
The Comptroller further said that during the period under review, 55 illegal immigrants were denied entry into Nigeria at different border posts across the state for not having valid traveling documents.
“Between January to December 2016, we repatriated 792 illegal immigrants who came into Nigeria without valid traveling documents back to their countries while 65 trafficked victims were also rescued at different border posts in the state.
“During the year under review, 55 illegal immigrants were refused entry into Nigeria based on lack of valid travelling documents and other related reasons.
“Due to the contiguous nature of borders (land and marine) between Nigeria and water, we have challenges of illegal migrants coming in through irregular expensive border lines outside regular control posts.
“But, we will continue to police the borders with a view to curb illegal migration, child theft and trafficking and other heinous crimes in the state.
“The UNODC is one of the partners of the NIS and we believe we can work together in the area of workshops and public enlightenment involving NIS, UNODC and other security agencies and our stakeholders”, she said.
She added that the command would sensitise transporters, boat owners and local communities on the ills of child trafficking and child labour and what they need to know and do whenever irregular migrants are identified in their communities.
Adeuyi attributed the success of the Command to the sustained efforts of the Comptroller General of Custom; Mr Mohammed Babandede who she said had provided the command with the necessary tools to fight trans-border crimes.
Responding, Albertin said that UNODC had collaborated greatly with the NIS in the area of capacity building, training of NIS personnel and donation of border equipment to the NIS.
Albertin who lauded the successes recorded by the command in 2016, said that her visit was to strengthen the existing relationship between the NIS and UNODC with a view to find areas where they can assist.
“The UNODC and NIS have an outstanding relationship. I am here to further strengthen that existing relationship and to say that we will continue to support the NIS in her effort in combating child trafficking and child labour in Nigeria”, she said.
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