Nigeria Immigration Service Hosts Stakeholders’ Sensitization Seminar On Evolving Patterns In Smuggling Of Migrants: Towards A Coordinated National Response
The Nigeria Immigration Service organized a Stakeholders’ Sensitization Seminar themed “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated National Response” at the Service Headquarters, Abuja. The seminar brought together representatives from key government institutions, international partners, and civil society organizations to discuss emerging trends in migrant smuggling and strengthen inter-agency collaboration.
Declaring the seminar open and in her keynote address, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, KN Nandap, pcc, mmis, fsmn, described Smuggling of Migrants as a growing transnational threat to national security and human dignity, stressing that “it is our collective duty to ensure no Nigerian is left vulnerable to exploitation or deception.” She noted that Nigeria’s socio-economic diversity makes it a source, transit, and destination country for Migration, and called for a coordinated national strategy built on partnership, vigilance, and shared responsibility among all stakeholders.
The Comptroller-General further revealed that the Service’s renewed operational alertness has continued to yield tangible results. Recently, Border Patrol operatives at Seme Border denied entry to 332 migrants who lacked valid travel documents, while 294 Nigerian nationals suspected to be irregular migrants attempting to leave the country under the “Japa Syndrome” were refused exit. In addition, 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour were rescued at the same border. She attributed these successes to enhanced border surveillance measures, including the installation of new CCTV cameras.
In her welcome address, the Deputy-Comptroller General Migration Directorate, N Odikpo, highlighted that the seminar provides a platform not only to share knowledge but also to forge stronger partnerships in combating the menace. She emphasized that “the fight against migrant smuggling is not merely about enforcing laws, it is about protecting lives.
The technical session featured three presentations titled “Strengthening Collaboration for a Coordinated National Response to Smuggling of Migrants,” “The Evolving Role of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Combating Migrant Smuggling,” and “Upholding the Rights and Dignity of Migrants in Nigeria’s Response to Smuggling.” The presentations explored operational challenges, best practices, and the importance of human-rights-based approaches to migration management.
Participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to protecting vulnerable migrants, dismantling smuggling networks, and enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to respond to irregular migration through effective inter-agency cooperation.
This sensitization seminar reinforces the Service’s determination to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration in line with the Federal Government’s Migration Governance framework and international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.
e-Signed
ACI AS AKINLABI
Service Public Relations Officer
Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters, Abuja
11th November, 2025
