Nigeria has over 1,499 illegal entry routes – Interior Minister
2:00 am
By VICTORIA OJEME & RUTH ODINIYA
ABUJA – INTERIOR Minister, Abba Moro, yesterday, disclosed that there were over 1,499 irregular/illegal and 84 regular/legal officially identified entry routes into the country.
Moro said Nigeria has witnessed several instances where foreigners crossed the borders and perpetrated various types of crime, including terrorism.
He said as a result, 10,401 Nigeriens, Beninois and Camerounian, amongst others, were refused entry, while 8,337 Nigeriens were repatriated.
Moro, who made these disclosure at the Ministerial Platform of the Ministry of Interior in Abuja, said that Nigeria Immigration Service would soon commence construction of border control plazas to strengthen effective surveillance around the nation’s borders
He said the decision had become necessary to help the service in monitoring movement around the borders as Nigeria could not successfully monitor and survey its vast borders without the cooperation of neighbouring countries.
He added that electronic passenger registration facilities were also being provided at land borders, adding that mobile border patrol units are being strengthened for effective surveillance.
He said the NIS was collaborating with state governments and other security agencies to ease out, on a regular basis, foreigners without valid travel documents.
He further disclosed that the bill to amend the Prison Act had passed through the second reading at the National Assembly, explaining that “this will ease the challenges of congestion in Nigeria Prisons”.
