The Comptroller of Immigration in Oyo State Command, Issa Alhassan Dansuleiman, has emphasised the need to sensitise Nigerians on dangers and consequences of irregular migration.
The Comptroller spoke on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop for its personnel, border management agencies and other stakeholders in Ibadan, as a nationwide sentisation/enlightenment on smuggle of migrants (SOM).
The workshop was held in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
In attendance were security officials from the Nigeria Police Firce, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Air Force, Nigeria Correctional Service, NAPTIP, Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) and the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, among others
Though he noted migration being a global phenomenon, Dansuleiman said that it however becomes a crime when it is done in an improper way.
Describing what is currently happening in the smuggling of migrants, the Comptroller said the workshop was aimed at broadening the knowledge of NIS personnel, other security agencies and stakeholders on smuggling of migrants and also to enlighten members of the public on the inherent dangers.
According to him, “this programme could not have come at a better time than now when migrating out of Nigeria is the order of the day. It is called ‘Japa’ in local parlance.
“We are here to sensitise people on smuggling of migrants; to let people know that it has become so common leaving the country without even knowing where they are going, and at the end, the result is negative. That we want to stop.”
He recalled arrests made of those with irregular migration procedures, with the subjects handed over to NAPTIP, while some others were reconciled with their families.
“Nigerians should be wary of empty promises. We should stay back and salvage the country together,” he advised.
On curtailing immigrants’ voting during upcoming 2023 elections, the Comptroller said that a sensitization programme, which would be in phases, had been launched in the state command to ensure that non-Nigerians are not allowed to vote.
He expressed appreciation to UNODC for setting aside fund to support the good cause.
In his remarks, the National Research Consultant with UNODC, Dr. Adebusuyi Adeniran, said that the workshop was aimed at sensitising Nigerians that smuggling of migrants is a crime.
He said that people get involved in two processes for attaining a goal, which is to facilitate the movement of Nigerians abroad through unapproved means.
“It is regarded as crime. We are not just sponsoring this programme, we are not just sensitising the people, UNODC is actually at the base of this programme.
“Between 2019 and 2021, we instituted a research work, that is observatory of smuggling of migrants in Nigeria. Since then, we have partnered with NIS by providing technical aid, methodology capacity and capacity building,” the Consultant said.
He stated further that Nigeria is a country of interest globally because migrants are smuggled into and out of it.
He also said that a lot of new trends and patterns were discovered in the study of smuggle of migrants.
“We instituted a research work that led to the need to sensitise Nigerians on that problem,” he disclosed.
Saying that the problem of smuggle of migrants had always been there, Dr Adeniran but the UNODC’s research espoused the extent of it.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
"We have missed a brilliant politician, seasoned administrator and exceptional academia who distinguished himself in…
“The gradual increases may be paused or reversed, subject to evolving market conditions. This flexibility…
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has held its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos where…
"I kept quiet because, at that point, I believed that I won the election and…
THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has lauded the Federal Government for scrapping foreign…
• Says Brands must know their customers to enhance loyalty A marketing communications practitioner,…
This website uses cookies.