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

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

According to an official declaration from the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Ogun state command has strategically positioned patrol teams across the forty-eight 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, Ogun State Comptroller of NIS, declared that Nigeria’s government and security agencies had begun moves to crack down on unauthorised influx of immigrants as well as illegal activities of such groups of people, subsequently.

Mumeen noted that the Federal Government of Nigeria had empowered the security agencies, especially Nigeria Immigration Service, 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 making comment on Governor Amosun’s request on easiness of getting travel documents through Nigerian Immigration Service, the Comptroller, said that 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 Ibikunle Amosun assured Nigerians and residents of the State of robust collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in the State 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 state more conducive for all and sundry to live and transact businesses, adding that the State government is prepared to collaborate with NIS to establish more offices and centres to ease the rigorous processes people in the State have to go through to obtain 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.”