Nigeria’s main concern over insurgent acts has gained international attention. That’s no news. The Boko Haram militant group has seized no fewer than 200 Nigerian female children, upon whom hi-tech international politics has descended. That too is known to all. But do you know the number of illegal immigrants that have registered their presence in the country? And do you know what they are doing here? Tayo Adelaja, Head, Special Investigations, unravels the inside story of the tribe of Nigeria’s illegal immigrants.
A vulcaniser was traced to the front of Mama Cass at Mararaba, Abuja last week by State Security Service (SSS) officials from Borno State. Mama Cass is located opposite the popular Orange Market.
According to reports, people around there thought the vulcaniser was just a gentleman eking out a living. The SSS however proved them wrong when he was apprehended. The man from Niger Republic, an illegal immigrant, was positioned at that spot to wreak havoc. In his tool box were found not just vulcanising equipment but explosives! People around within the vicinity were stupefied when the SSS handcuffed him and revealed the content of his tool box.
He had been stationed to detonate those explosives either at the Orange Market or at Mararaba junction, the two most populated places.
The citizenry finds it worrisome that there is an upsurge in the number of illegal immigrants in the country, which has been attributed to the porosity of our borders. Nigeria’s borders with Benin and Chad are fairly short – 773km and 87km long respectively. In comparison, our borders with Niger and Cameroun span 1,497km and 1,690km respectively. The porous nature of these borders heightens the potential spread of terrorist activities in the country. Our vulnerability to the spread of insurgents is compounded by the fact that Niger and Cameroun have borders with states in the North, where Boko Haram already exerts a strong influence. The border with Niger, for example, stretches along Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa and Yobe states.
This proximity to the North is therefore a particular threat to Niger’s already fragile security, given the relative ease with which terrorist elements can cross into the country. Cameroun faces a smaller risk than Niger as only two of the four Nigerian states bordering that country (Taraba and Adamawa) are part of northern Nigeria while Cross River and Benue states are in the south-eastern and mid-eastern regions of the country.
In South-West, Idi-Iroko, a border town with Ogun State, beyond its notoriety for smuggling is blessed with many unofficial escape routes which in the past have assisted many Nigerian political leaders who fled the country through the routes during the draconian military administrations in the country. Those routes were called the ‘NADECO route’.
It is a town when you take two steps forward, you are in Republic of Benin, and backward, you are in Nigeria. The border post in Idi-Iroko lacks any demarcation to show that you are in Nigeria or outside her territory. A firsttime visitor could easily cross from one side to the other.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade treaty allows free entry and exit of goods and human beings with a card ‘Lesse-Persee’. There is free entry and exit among Nigerians and other foreigners, particularly Beninoise, Togolese, Ghanaians and several others citizens of West African countries along this route.
As much as the Nigerian passport is a necessary document for travelling outside the country, it is, however, not necessarily so at the Idi-Iroko border where it was observed that an intending traveller outside the country who is ready to grease the palms of both the Immigration personnel and officers of other security agencies would enjoy unhindered entry and exit without the passport.
One critical factor noticed at the Idiroko border town is the same language spoken by the Anago people of Idi-Iroko and their kinsmen in Igolo, the first major Beninoise town after the Nigerian border town of Idi-Iroko.
Investigation revealed that the town, Igolo is an integral part of the Anago kingdom under the authority of the monarch of Idi-Iroko, Oba Olakunle Ojo, before and even after the partition of Africa by the colonial powers.
Smuggling towns along the Idi-Iroko route which also aid illegal immigrants into the country are Ijofin, Ilase, Igolo, Ajegunle, Ajilete, Oke-Odan, Ihunbo, among other escape routes.
There is also a black market called Beebe, a settlement and bush within the territory of Republic Benin where goods awaiting smuggling into Nigeria are packaged. It is also a route for the immigrants that are conversant with it.
Giving an insight into the porous border from Ogun State area, Niyi Adeleye, a native of Igolo stated: “Let me confess to you, nearly everybody in Idi-Iroko is a smuggler; I am one too; including officials of those security agencies that are stationed to man the so-called illegal routes. If you are not greedy and you take care of those that are supposed to be taken care of, you will not have problem, but if you are greedy, you will regret your action.’’
Operatives of the Nigerian Customs, Immigration, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), SSS and the Army in recent times are faced with a lot of nightmares caused by the thousands of illegal immigrants crossing the country’s porous borders.
As security operatives heighten their quest to end insurgency in the country, the increase in the number of illegal migrants have continued to raise the question as to how long the fight would last as Nigeria continues to host this set of migrants from neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad, Cameroun and Mali.
While a large number of these migrants are concentrated in the northern parts of the country, especially the North-East, the majority of them are gradually finding the nation’s capital a safe haven.
The number of immigrants trooping into Abuja increased on a daily basis, the majority are Nigeriens and Chadians. They eke out a living, manning gates as securitymen, selling local tea (known as Mashayi) and herbs. The majority of these immigrants claim Nigerian nationality so as to escape being arrested or deported.
They can be identified with turbans wrapped around their heads, carrying kettle of brewing tea, and they live in satellite towns in Abuja. These men, fondly referred to as Buzus, are mostly Nigeriens and Chadians who move around by day selling tea and herbs which they claim cure all sorts of ailment and at night pick up their bow and arrows as securitymen to different houses and offices. Their female counterparts help their spouses by going around selling herbs, hair enhancement products and also braiding of hair.
A guard in Kubwa believes that life in Nigeria is worth the migration, because it has afforded him the opportunity to provide for his family he left behind in Niger. He confessed to have come into the country illegally about a decade ago. He said movement between Niger and Nigeria was easy before the problem of Boko Haram.
Security experts have however frowned at the situation of illegal immigrants found in different parts of the country as they strongly believe it is the major cause of insecurity and insurgency in the land. Hanson Dare, a security expert based in Lagos said, “I spent more than three decades in the North. I relocated to Lagos due to the insecurity. I can confidently tell you that a huge number of the insurgents causing mayhem in parts of the North- East and Abuja are not Nigerians, but Nigeriens, Chadians and some other nationals who took advantage of our porous borders. Illegal immigrants constitute security threat to our nation.
Other experts in security matters blame officers of the Immigration service for the security lapse and influx. They hinge their opinion on the corruption embedded in the system.
Hanson noted that the issue of illegal immigrants has remained a huge challenge due to the cultural similarities between parts of northern Nigeria and countries like Niger, Chad, Mali, etc.
On the upsurge of illegal immigrants, he said, “It is true that the country’s borders are porous due to its vastness. I’m aware that border patrol remains a major challenge for the security personnel. There are a lot of issues
Despite the fact that it houses headquarters of most security organisations like the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service (SSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), illegal immigrants daily troop into Abuja with little or no hindrance, especially from the NIS, which is saddled with the responsibility of regulating migration issues in the country.
The number of immigrants trooping into Abuja increased on a daily basis, the majority are Nigeriens and Chadians. They eke out a living, manning gates as securitymen, selling local tea (known as Mashayi) and herbs. The majority of these immigrants claim Nigerian nationality so as to escape being arrested or deported.
They can be identified with turbans wrapped around their heads, carrying kettle of brewing tea, and they live in satellite towns in Abuja. These men, fondly referred to as Buzus, are mostly Nigeriens and Chadians who move around by day selling tea and herbs which they claim cure all sorts of ailment and at night pick up their bow and arrows as securitymen to different houses and offices. Their female counterparts help their spouses by going around selling herbs, hair enhancement products and also braiding of hair.
A guard in Kubwa believes that life in Nigeria is worth the migration, because it has afforded him the opportunity to provide for his family he left behind in Niger. He confessed to have come into the country illegally about a decade ago. He said movement between Niger and Nigeria was easy before the problem of Boko Haram.
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Security experts have however frowned at the situation of illegal immigrants found in different parts of the country as they strongly believe it is the major cause of insecurity and insurgency in the land. Hanson Dare, a security expert based in Lagos said, “I spent more than three decades in the North. I relocated to Lagos due to the insecurity. I can confidently tell you that a huge number of the insurgents causing mayhem in parts of the North- East and Abuja are not Nigerians, but Nigeriens, Chadians and some other nationals who took advantage of our porous borders. Illegal immigrants constitute security threat to our nation.
Other experts in security matters blame officers of the Immigration service for the security lapse and influx. They hinge their opinion on the corruption embedded in the system.
Hanson noted that the issue of illegal immigrants has remained a huge challenge due to the cultural similarities between parts of northern Nigeria and countries like Niger, Chad, Mali, etc.
On the upsurge of illegal immigrants, he said, “It is true that the country’s borders are porous due to its vastness. I’m aware that border patrol remains a major challenge for the security personnel. There are a lot of issues they have to contend with, those of homogenous cultures between parts of Nigeria and neighbouring countries, religion, intra- marriage and inadequate manpower on the part of the Immigration which also inhibits thorough border patrol in these areas, thus resulting in influx of illegal immigrants into the country.
“The issue of border patrol in the North is quite delicate because of homogeneity in culture and even religion. This is so, especially as those in the North-East share similar culture, speak same language, and even inter-marry with the neighbouring countries. Sometimes when they are arrested for not possessing valid travel documents, they will challenge you that they are locals. With their in-laws and friends who are Nigerians ready to support their claims, it becomes difficult to be apprehended by the security men.
On the problem of inadequate manpower, a source in NIS said, “The Nigerian Navy is in charge of patrolling the coastal line, NIS staff strength of 20,000 officers and men with other duties aside from border patrol, is hardly enough for the Service to effectively police the vast borders we have. This is why the NIS has sought for permission to recruit more men, especially for border policing before the exercise was put on hold for logistic reasons.
“Though security reports show that most insurgents causing unrest in the North are not Nigerians, one still needs to be careful when clamping down on illegal immigrants so that we don’t create the wrong impression that we are targeting a particular country, else we stand the risk of exposing our own citizens who are resident in those countries to unfair treatment as a way of getting back at them.”
Spokesman of NIS, Mr. Chukwuemeka Obua, in reaction to the upsurge, however, gave the assurance that the NIS, through its planned biometric data registration and the Special Border Corps, will soon lay the problem of illegal immigration to rest. He said that the service had received waivers to purchase special uniforms and kits to help in border patrol, while members of the Corps would be given special training for border management and policing.
He added that though the recent ECOWAS treaty allows for freedom of movement or entry, freedom of residence and the establishment of business within the ECOWAS region, the NIS would ensure that these freedoms are exercised within the ambit of the law. He declared that the Service would soon embark on biometric data capturing of all immigrants to ensure that only immigrants with valid travel documents who passed through recognised borders are allowed to remain and work in the country.
“The NIS has as its agenda the evolving of a very robust border management system which is quite different from what this Service has had before. I can tell you that the Service is set to end illegal migration into the country, and so in a short period from now you will start seeing Immigration officers moving round to capture the biometric data of immigrants. With this we will ensure that only those with valid documents are allowed to work and stay in Nigeria while those who came in illegally will be repatriated back to their countries,” he said.
Despite the huge influx of illegal migrants into the country, 2013 witnessed increase in the number of arrests of migrants by security operatives, with the majority coming from Niger, Benin, Mali, Chad and Cameroun.
About 20 illegal immigrants were arrested by men of the NIS at Berger Close to the Lagos and Ogun state borders in May 2013. Most of them are immigrants from Niger Republic. Same month, the military in Kaduna arrested over 100 Malian and Nigerien illegal immigrants at the Unugwar Kaji metropolis of the state. The illegal immigrants, according to reports came in six truck loads with their wives, children, animals and other domestic items. Another 49 immigrants with no valid travel documents were again arrested in June same year in Kaduna.
In June that year, the NIS arrested and deported about 147 immigrants from Niger Republic and Chad illegally living in Akure, Ondo State.
NIS Comptroller of the Kaduna Command, Hamman Yerima had blamed the influx of illegal immigrants into the country on the porous nature of the borders and the lack of logistics to effectively police them. He expressed fear that such situation posed great security threat to the country.
The comptroller decried the practice where illegal foreigners are taking advantage of the ECOWAS treaty on free move ment of people within the West African sub-region to enter into the country without proper documentation.
The situation is also worrisome at the seme border where a total of 896 illegal immigrants were said to have been arrested between January and December 2013. Spokesman of the Seme Command, Mr Niyi Oyewole said that 896 foreigners who were mainly from Mali, Benin Republic, Gabon and Congo were refused entry through the border during the period.
The story of influx of illegal immigrants is the same in Niger State where the Controller in-charge of Niger, Kwara and Kogi states, Aminu Abdulkarim, said that the command repatriated a total of 815 illegal immigrants in 2013.
Abdulkarim said, “About 99 per cent of the illegal immigrants arrested in parts of Niger State were Nigeriens while Ghanaians and Beninoise made up the remaining one per cent.
The story is not different in Abuja, as it has its fair share of raid and arrest of illegal immigrants. For instance, the Social Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Development Administration had in July 2013 disclosed that it had arrested a total of 2,000 illegal immigrants in Abuja who were repatriated to their various countries.
Secretary of the secretariat, Blessing Onuh, had said the FCT had continually witnessed influx of people in search of greener pastures, a trend she said, came with its resultant effect on socio-economic reality of the capital city as well as stretching facilities within the city.
“Over the years, Abuja has continued to witness a rapid influx of people and this has come with so many attendant socio-economic challenges such as rise in unemployment, crime and other antisocial vices. Since the inception of the present FCT administration in 2010, concerted efforts have been made to deliver efficient social services to,” she observed.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr. David Parradang, said that Nigeria has a total of 84 Control Posts in a land border of over 4,000 kilometers alone in the North, but that plans were being put in place to improve border control.
His words: “We need to secure our borders. We have the desire and are committed and determined to secure our borders. We know exactly what to do and we are set out in doing it.
“We need relevant technology to secure our border; the technology that are relevant to us and sustainable. We have designed a border patrol mechanism and we’re training over 1,000 staff dedicated purely on border patrolling.
“I will like to say that we are very cooperative with all the security agencies in the fight against terrorism. Military has recognised that we have that mandate and respect the fact that we are well trained at identifying foreigners.”
Parradang highlighted some of the outcomes of their improved control over immigration issues as he revealed that over 158,000 foreigners were denied entry into Nigeria last year.
He gave the reason for the refusal of entry, ranging from suspicion of posing high security risk, questionable character, incomplete data, illegal or no documentation, lack of required skills and economic factors.
“In 2013, about 4,706 people were repatriated; 106,739 prevented from leaving the country, while 15, 8840 foreigners were at the same period denied entry into the country”, he said.
Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, also disclosed that some of the activities of insurgents were directed by some illegal immigrants. He stated that following that discovery the Federal Government had repatriated more than 22,000 illegal immigrants from the country. The immigrants were sent to Niger Republic, Cameroun and Chad.
“The ministry has, in collaboration with the National Boundary Commission, established legally-recognised routes in the country. We have identified 84 of such legal routes and deployed many personnel, especially in the northern flanks, where insurgency has become rampant and the tendency to move across the borders is high,” he stated.
Moro stressed that the Federal Government would enhance surveillance on the border, and it has started to acquire appropriate technologies for this purpose.
“We are also in the process of acquiring new operational patrol vehicles to enhance security at the various borders. We believe that a combination of electronic surveillance and human component, will secure the borders,” he emphasised.
Additional reports by Femi Oyeweso, Abeokuta, Ogun State; Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja and Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri, Borno State.
Published, June 1, 2014
