Over 1,100 Nigerian returnees arrive Kano from Niger for reintegration

No fewer than 1,100 Nigerian returnees from Agadez in the Niger Republic have arrived in Kano State by road as the Federal Government commenced documentation and reintegration procedures for the migrants.

The returnees, who arrived through coordinated arrangements involving federal and state agencies, are currently undergoing biometric documentation using the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said the exercise is aimed at properly identifying and profiling the returnees before they are reunited with their families and reintegrated into society.

“After the documentation process at MAKIA, the returnees are expected to proceed to the Immigration Training School Kano (ITSK), where final profiling, counseling, and reintegration processes will be conducted”, the Service said.

NIS disclosed that personnel of the Kano State Government, security agencies, airport officials, and other relevant federal institutions have been fully deployed to ensure a smooth, safe, and hitch-free exercise.

According to the NIS, the operation is part of ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities and international migration partners to manage the return and reintegration of stranded Nigerians from transit routes across West and North Africa.

Many of the returnees are believed to have travelled through Agadez, a major migration corridor in the Niger Republic often used by migrants attempting to reach North Africa and Europe through irregular routes.

NIS noted that counseling and support services would be provided to the returnees to aid their reintegration and discourage future irregular migration attempts.

The Service assured that adequate security and humanitarian support had been put in place throughout the processing stages to safeguard the welfare of the returnees.