The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has taken the sensitization campaign against irregular migration to schools, markets and motor parks in Lagos State.
The two day campaign led by the Comptroller, Muhammed International Airport ( MMIA) Lagos Command of the Service, CIS Adesola Adesokan, aimed to provide information and education to young Nigerians from schools and the Youth Corps, official partners, sister agencies, members of the diplomatic corps, service providers, and more importantly, rehabilitated victims of Migrant Smuggling. to discourage the scourge of irregular migration, particularly smuggling of migrants through unofficial channels which leading to untimely deaths of many youths.
The first day of the event was used for a symposium while the second day was a Road Walk.
In her welcome address to stakeholders during the campaign, Adesokan expressed strong disapproval, her displeasure and indeed, a great sadness, for the issue which has become a phenomenon in Nigerian space with many people hell-bent on leaving the country at whatever cost.
The Comptroller who brought the message of the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, CGI Isah Jere Idris to the stakeholders on why irregular migration should be discouraged by all, noted that the horrific tales of smuggling of migrants and their attendant consequences, especially as narrated by victims-turned-survivors are heart wrenching.
“As a woman, wife, mother, aunt, sister, daughter and a human being, my heart bleeds each time I encounter the horrific tales of smuggling of migrants and their attendant consequences, especially as narrated by victims-turned-survivors,” the Comptroller said.
She pleaded, “These terrible narratives should never be part of the story of the human race. Certainly not in the twenty-first century!”
“Where does one start from?” Adesokan continued, “Is it from the horrific personal accounts of beautiful young women who were exposed to unimaginable horrors of modern-day sexual slavery and exploitation, hard and abusive labour? Is it the near-death experience of rescued stowaways on the high seas?
“Is the frustration of watching young, energetic youths desperate for greener pasture but poorly informed ill-prepared, haven sold almost everything of value to them and their parents to be able to travel? Or parents/guardians who ignorantly sent their children/wards in the way of risks and death all in the name “making it”?
She decried that Nigeria is losing a lot of her youths, especially females, in their primes, to the twin evils of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons and other criminalities and vulnerabilities associated with irregular migration.
The Comptroller added, “Deceived, manipulated, or inadequately informed, these vulnerable Nigerians are repeatedly lured into a maze of avoidable hardships and risks. A most worrisome aspect of this agonizing reality is that this ugly trend seems to show no signs of slowing down. As sets of youths are returning to the country either voluntarily or involuntarily; new sets are desperately embarking on journeys into the unknown in search for greener pasture.
On the statistics of deportation handle at the MMIA between January and Mid December 2022, she said,”From the beginning of the year 2022 to date, MMIA Command witnessed the deportation of two thousand and fifty – seven Nigerians (2,057) due to Immigration related offenses. Three hundred and eighty-seven (387) deportees were handed over to IOM while forty (40) deportees were handed over to NAPTIP.
“Within the same period under review, a total of 0ne hundred and eighty-one (181); One hundred and forty-three (143) females and thirty-eight (38) males, were refused departure due to non-compliance with standard travelling procedures. You may wish to agree with me that Smuggling of Migrants is one of the major vices denting the image of our great country, Nigeria.” She said.
