NIS discovers 48 illegal routes in Ogun, moves to check influx of aliens via Nigeria-Benin borders

Having discovered 48 illegal routes at the borderline between Nigeria and Republic of Benin in Ogun State, through which illegal and irregular immigrants enter the country, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has moved to beef up watertight security around the areas as part of measures to check illegal influx of aliens.

According to an official declaration from the NIS, the Ogun State command has strategically positioned patrol teams across the 48 roads that had been identified to be the routes of illegal immigrants to monitor and curb their activities, manage influx of immigrants, investigate and enforce appropriate sanctions.

Speaking during a working visit to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Yussuf Ganiyu Mumeen, the state comptroller of NIS, said the Nigerian government and security agencies had begun moves to crack down on unauthorised influx of immigrants as well as illegal activities of such people, subsequently.

Mumeen said the Federal Government had empowered the security agencies, especially the NIS, to curb influx and illegal activities of unauthorised immigrants, saying: “We’ll intensify our efforts on monitoring, intelligence and enforcement operations against illegal and irregular immigrants as well as fish them out of the state.”

While speaking on Governor Amosun’s request on ease of getting travel documents through the NIS, the comptroller said the NIS was improving on the usual bottlenecks retarding procurement of travel documents by Nigerians, and therefore commended the governor for a timely request.

Responding, Governor Amosun assured Nigerians and residents of the state of robust collaboration with the NIS in order to ease the process leading to the procurement of travel documents by the people.

While pledging to put necessary measures in place to make Ogun more conducive for all and sundry and transact businesses, he said the state was prepared to collaborate with the NIS to establish more offices and centres to ease the rigorous processes of getting travel documents.

He said: “There are several areas where we’ll collaborate with your agency, especially in the area of creating more centres across the state where our people can have easier access to obtaining travel documents without delay.”