Nigerian govt deports 828 illegal immigrants, launches sweeping border reforms

In a bold move to tighten Nigeria’s borders and curb irregular migration, the Federal Government has deported 828 illegal immigrants in 2024 alone, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced in Abuja on Tuesday.

The deportations are part of a broader security push aimed at tackling human trafficking, streamlining immigration processes, and modernising border control infrastructure.

Tunji-Ojo revealed that in the past year, 137 victims of human trafficking had been rescued, while authorities intensified efforts to clamp down on illegal migration networks.

“We are not just securing our borders; we are protecting lives and ensuring that only those with legitimate reasons enter our country,” he said.

Beyond deportations, the government has embarked on an ambitious overhaul of Nigeria’s immigration systems, leveraging technology to tighten surveillance and improve efficiency.

Read Also: IPOB leader, Kanu, sues police spokesman Adejobi for libel, demands N20bn in damages

Key reforms include:

• A Centralised Visa Approval Centre in Abuja – ensuring faster and more secure visa processing.
• Integration of Nigerian passports into the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Public Key Directory, allowing seamless verification across the globe.
• A new 8.3-petabyte data centre – Nigeria’s largest – designed to support border security operations.
• Solar-powered infrastructure to maintain uninterrupted immigration services.
• A Command and Control Centre for real-time monitoring of all land and air entry points.

Recognising public frustration over passport delays, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) made sweeping changes, clearing a backlog of 200,000 applications within three weeks in 2023 and issuing 1,836,533 passports in 2024.

Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians that passport delays would soon become a thing of the past. “We are determined to make the system seamless, eliminating delays and bottlenecks,” he said.

These sweeping reforms reflect the government’s commitment to enhancing national security while improving the ease of travel for legitimate migrants.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now