The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Sunday James, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
A total of 625
deported Nigerians returned to the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja.
The Public Relations
Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Sunday James, disclosed this
in a statement on Monday.
He added that 24 other
Nigerians were repatriated for various criminal and immigration-related
offences abroad.
Back in the country,
12 foreign nationals who failed to comply with Nigerian entry requirements,
were refused admission and returned, said James.
He noted that the year
witnessed a global pandemic – COVID-19 – which prompted various countries to
enforce mandatory lockdown and border closure before their eventual relaxation
within the year.
The NIS spokesman
stated that Nigeria had its fair share of the COVID-19 experience and the
Service, as the lead agency in charge of migration control and border
management at the airport in Abuja, stepped up personnel protection to insulate
them from contracting the disease.
He listed some of the
measures taken to include the installation of glass shields that separate the
operatives from passengers, as well as the use of face masks, hand gloves, hand
sanitizer, among others.
“No fewer than 239,114
outbound and inbound migrants passed through NAIA, Abuja between 1st January
2020 and 15th December 2020. So far, 73,582 Nigerians and 46,665 non-Nigerians
departed NAIA, Abuja for various destinations abroad.
“Similarly, 81,277
Nigerians and 37,590 non-Nigerians arrived through NAIA airport within the
period under review,” the statement said.
James revealed that in
the year, 34 Nigerians – predominantly young ladies – were refused departure
for non-compliance and violation of immigration regulations and other extant
laws.
He explained that the
young ladies were victims of human trafficking being transported for forced
prostitution and sexual exploitation and were between the ages of 18 to 28.
“Their final
destination was Dubai, UAE. Upon interception, they were profiled and forwarded
to NIS Service Headquarters for further investigation and released to the
National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for
rehabilitation.
“In the same vein, the
change of operational strategy led to the uncovering of the persons recruiting
and trafficking these ladies via sting operation where six
recruiters/traffickers were apprehended – four males and two females. Also, the
identities of 3 recruiters/sponsors resident in Dubai were equally uncovered,”
the statement said.
The NIS spokesman
disclosed that NAIA Command, within the period under review, received and
handed over 100 Nigerians whose offences were not immigration-related, such as
drug-related issues, financial crimes, trafficking in persons and smuggling of
migrants, to relevant agencies.
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