Nigeria repatriates 22,000 illegal immigrants to Niger, Chad, Cameroon- Minister

The Federal Government on Friday said it
had repatriated more than 22,000 illegal
immigrants.
The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, said
this while fielding questions from
newsmen in Kano.
He said the measure was taken following
discovery that some of the activities of
insurgents were master-minded by some
illegal immigrants.
‘’Just yesterday, 18 of such aliens were
repatriated from Bauchi State. The only
alternative for us is repatriating them
since they cannot regularise their stay,”
he said.
He said the affected aliens were
repatriated to Niger Republic, Cameroon
and Chad.
According to him, the Nigeria Immigration
Service (NIS) had taken stringent
measures to check the ugly trend, adding
that anyone found without relevant
document would be repatriated.
“The ministry has, in collaboration with
the National Boundary Commission,
establish legally recognised routes in the
country.
“We have identified 84 of such legal
routes and deployed many personnel,
especially in the northern planks, where
insurgency has become rampant and the
tendency to move across the borders is
high,’’ he said.
He revealed that the Federal Government
was in the process of acquiring
appropriate technologies, which would be
deployed for surveillance at the borders.
‘’We are also in the process of acquiring
new operational patrol vehicles to
enhance security at the various borders.
‘’We believe that a combination of
electronic surveillance and human
component, will secure the borders,” he
said.
The minister, who was in Kano to inspect
some facilities under his ministry, said he
had discussion with the state governor,
Rabi’u Kwankwaso, on the possibility of
relocating Kano Central Prison.
‘’We have agreed that I will come back
and see the facility myself, examine its
desirability or otherwise, for us to
collaborate,’’ he added.