The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has blocked 294 Nigerians from leaving the country for suspected smuggling activities and denied entry to 332 undocumented migrants at the Seme border.

Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, stated this on Tuesday, November 11, during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitization seminar in Abuja titled “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated National Response.”

Nandap also outlined that the service recently rescued 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour along the Seme border, with the help of newly installed CCTV cameras that aided the interception of irregular migrants.

“These are not annual statistics; they occurred within a short period, highlighting the scale of the problem we are dealing with,” she stated.

Expressing concern over the increasing trend of Nigerians migrating irregularly in search of better opportunities abroad, a phenomenon commonly referred to as “Japa”, Nandap lamented the risks involved.

“It is very disheartening when you see young people risking their lives because they feel the grass is greener on the other side,” she explained.

The Immigration chief noted that migrant smuggling has become “more complex and transnational,” driven by sophisticated criminal networks exploiting vulnerable individuals.

In addition, she said the NIS working with both local and international partners, has adopted a multi-dimensional approach to combat the problem. This includes strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, expanding public awareness campaigns, and enhancing inter-agency cooperation to ensure a more coordinated national response.