By Ibironke Ariyo

Nigeria’s migration corridors are now more frequently targeted by organised criminal networks exploiting citizens seeking opportunities abroad.

Emerging evidence shows that these operations are becoming more sophisticated and driven by technology.

In recent years, authorities say migrant smuggling has evolved into a complex transnational enterprise, requiring coordinated national responses, stronger institutional frameworks and intelligence-led enforcement strategies.

At the centre of this response is the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The Service combines border surveillance, intelligence sharing, prosecution support and sustained public sensitisation to disrupt smuggling networks operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

To provide context, migration experts note that migrant smuggling differs from human trafficking because migrants initially consent to movement.

However, deception, exploitation and abandonment often follow when smugglers prioritise profit over safety and legality.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), West Africa remains a major origin and transit region for smuggling routes leading to North Africa, Europe and parts of the Middle East.

The UN body says this is largely driven by unemployment pressures and widespread misinformation.

More importantly, UNODC reports indicate that smugglers now rely heavily on forged travel documents, visa fraud, fake employment schemes and online recruitment platforms.

While this reduces dependence on dangerous desert crossings, it greatly increases financial exploitation risks for migrants.

Against this backdrop, NIS officials say statistics are currently guiding enforcement decisions and shaping operational priorities.

In recent operational years, immigration authorities recorded thousands of refused departures at Nigerian airports after identifying passengers travelling with suspicious documentation or inconsistent migration histories.

Explaining this shift, an NIS border commander said advanced passenger screening systems now enable officers to detect irregular travel patterns before departure.

“We are no longer reacting at borders alone; intelligence begins before passengers arrive at airports.

“Technology integration has significantly improved early detection capabilities across major international terminals,” he said.

Similarly, at a stakeholders’ sensitisation seminar held on Nov. 11, 2025, titled “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated National Response,” officials highlighted changing smuggling tactics.

They stressed that smugglers are currently exploiting legal travel channels rather than relying solely on irregular border crossings.

Providing further insight, the Comptroller-General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, said the Service had strengthened its legal and institutional frameworks while expanding training programmes to improve officers’ capacity to detect and prevent smuggling activities.

“Recently, the border patrol at Seme denied entry to 332 migrants without valid travel documents.

“294 Nigerians, suspected of attempting irregular migration under the ‘Japa Syndrome,’ were stopped from leaving the country,” she said.

In addition, the NIS CG noted that 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour were rescued at the border, attributing the successes to improved surveillance, including the installation of new CCTV cameras at strategic locations.

Furthermore, during the inauguration of the 2025 Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Week in Abuja, the Federal Government pledged to further strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture and border security framework to dismantle organised smuggling syndicates.

Nandap said the government was intensifying a multi-layered response to emerging smuggling trends that pose serious risks to human life and national security.

She reaffirmed the commitment of the Service, pledging that the NIS would continue to deepen border security and intelligence capabilities, dismantle smuggling networks, prosecute offenders and protect migrants, especially women and children.

In the same vein, she said the Service would strengthen domestic and international partnerships while upholding the dignity and human rights of migrants regardless of status.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Nandap said Nigeria, as a country of origin, transit and destination, could not afford to ignore the growing sophistication of smuggling networks.

She explained that these networks now rely heavily on digital platforms, encrypted communication, falsified documents and transnational criminal collaborations.

She warned that migrants were increasingly exposed to grave dangers, including trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation, violence and death, especially along irregular desert and sea routes.

“The activities of smugglers threaten border integrity, public safety and internal security.

“The NIS, with the support of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has adopted a technology-driven and intelligence-led strategy to combat the menace.

“The Service has strengthened surveillance across land, sea and air borders through the deployment of a Command and Control Centre that mirrors nationwide operations, alongside the Migration Information and Data Analysis System.

“Also, Advanced Passenger Information Systems, Passenger Name Records, e-gates at international airports and Huawei-powered e-border solutions installed at more than 144 border locations nationwide,” she maintained.

Beyond national efforts, Nandap added that Nigeria had continued to deepen cooperation with ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UNODC and INTERPOL, among others.

According to her, these partnerships enhance capacity building, intelligence sharing, joint investigations and safe return programmes, while bilateral agreements with transit and destination countries have improved early warning systems and cross-border law enforcement.

Equally important, she said the Service had scaled up public sensitisation to counter false narratives used by smugglers to lure young Nigerians.

She revealed that more than 579,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members were sensitised in 2025.

“This is in addition to widespread outreach in border communities, schools, transport unions and youth associations across the country.

“The campaigns focus on exposing digital recruitment tactics, fake job offers abroad and the importance of safe, orderly and regular migration channels,” she emphasised.

Reinforcing the human dimension of the crisis, Nandap said, “The fight against the smuggling of migrants is not only a security imperative but also a moral responsibility.

“Every smuggled migrant represents a life at risk and a family disrupted”.

She urged government agencies, international organisations, civil society and the private sector to sustain collaboration.

“Our success depends on acting as one national front guided by protection, accountability, and human dignity. Together, we can build a Nigeria where safe and regular migration becomes the norm,” she maintained.

In a related development, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also cautioned Nigerians against embarking on dangerous and irregular migration journeys.

Speaking at an event organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Institute to commemorate the 2025 International Human Rights Day, she highlighted the risks associated with such decisions.

Dabiri Erewa said that over the years, many Nigerians had willingly entered life-threatening situations abroad, noting that the commission was working with partners to assist stranded citizens.

“In Iraq alone, there are over 7,000 stranded. They are looking for hope and hopelessness. Citizens often underestimate the dangers of illegal migration,” she lamented.

She advised Nigerians to invest in opportunities at home, stressing that, “the grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it”.

To further illustrate the risks, she cited a case of a young woman who returned from Libya after using funds meant for medical care to finance her journey.

“She paid around N2.5 million to travel illegally to Libya despite lacking medical care at home; this money could have been used for better purposes.

“She came back with nothing. Such cases illustrate why advocacy and preventive measures are crucial,” she said.

Highlighting the dangers along migration routes, Dabiri-Erewa revealed that one in 24 migrants risk being killed in Libya, adding that efforts were ongoing to repatriate 10,500 stranded children.

She emphasised the need for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to address the problem.

Meanwhile, experts say enforcement gains are increasingly being measured beyond arrests alone.

For instance, coordinated monitoring has helped dismantle document-fraud networks operating between Nigeria and destination countries, leading to arrests and ongoing prosecutions through inter-agency collaboration.

In addition, the IOM reports that thousands of stranded Nigerian migrants have been assisted through voluntary return programmes, many recounting deception by smugglers.

Analysts argue that such return statistics indirectly reflect prevention success, as awareness campaigns reduce vulnerability to recruitment networks.

Corroborating this view, an NIS public affairs officer said sensitisation campaigns across universities, motor parks and border communities now form a core prevention strategy addressing misinformation driving irregular migration.

The officer said enforcement alone cannot solve migrant smuggling, adding that education is essential because smugglers thrive where accurate migration information is absent.

From a broader policy perspective, experts from academia note that Nigeria’s migration governance has gradually shifted from reactive policing to preventive migration management, aligning with international best practices.

Similarly, improved coordination with neighbouring countries has strengthened intelligence exchanges targeting smuggling facilitators operating along porous land borders.

Security analysts say joint patrol arrangements and biometric verification systems have reduced identity fraud, a key enabler of migrant smuggling operations.

Migration researchers also note that biometric data integration allows authorities to track repeat migration attempts linked to organised smuggling rings, thereby strengthening investigative evidence used in prosecutions.

At the same time, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has partnered with NIS to distinguish trafficking victims from smuggled migrants, ensuring that rescued individuals receive protection rather than punishment.

Officials say this collaboration has improved victim identification procedures at airports and border posts, preventing wrongful detention of vulnerable migrants.

Gender specialists further highlight that women and young people remain disproportionately targeted, especially through deceptive domestic work recruitment schemes.

Humanitarian agencies also report that many returnees face heavy debt burdens after paying large sums to smugglers, underscoring the economic dimension of migrant smuggling.

Given these dynamics, experts stress that measuring NIS impact must go beyond arrest figures to include prevention outcomes, reduced fraudulent departures and improved public awareness.

They argue that success indicators increasingly include behavioural change among travellers, reflected in higher compliance with documentation requirements and declining reliance on informal migration agents.

NIS officials say ongoing training programmes are equipping officers with investigative skills aligned with international migration law while ensuring respect for human rights.

In addition, the agency has adopted digital record systems to improve data accuracy, enabling policymakers to track long-term migration patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

Observers note that Nigeria’s reforms align with broader African Union efforts promoting safe, orderly and regular migration pathways across the continent.

However, albeit these gains, experts warn that economic pressures and global labour demand will continue to sustain migrant smuggling attempts.

They therefore call for sustained investment in technology, partnerships and public education.

Ultimately, migration researchers conclude that data-driven strategies offer Nigeria a strong tool against evolving smuggling tactics, enabling authorities to anticipate trends rather than merely respond to crises. (NAN)

By Raphael Atuu

In the heart of Nigeria’s capital, a quiet but persistent appeal continues to echo from the voices of Abuja’s indigenous communities. These are the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), whose ancestral lands were acquired in the late 1970s to make way for a modern capital city.

Today, community leaders, youth groups, and concerned stakeholders are once again calling on the Minister of the FCT Nyemson Wike who has shown them not only love, but has done to them what no other Minister of FCT has done, to take decisive action: open up designated districts, accelerate resettlement plans, and ensure that indigenous people are not left behind in the city built on their ancestral heritage.

A History of Displacement

When Abuja was designated as Nigeria’s capital in 1976, thousands of indigenous families were displaced across areas such as Garki, Maitama, Asokoro, and beyond. While the government initiated resettlement programs, implementation has been uneven. Some communities were relocated, but many others still live in transitional settlements, lacking adequate infrastructure, access to basic services, and economic opportunities.

For these communities, the issue is not just about land it is about identity, dignity, and survival.

The Demand for District Opening

One of the central demands is the opening of new districts that have long been mapped out but remain inaccessible or underdeveloped. Indigenous groups argue that unlocking these areas would create room for proper resettlement, reduce overcrowding in existing satellite towns, and provide a pathway for integrating displaced persons into the broader urban framework of Abuja.

They insist that such development should not sideline them but instead prioritize their inclusion as rightful stakeholders.

Resettlement: A Promise Yet to Be Fully Kept

At the core of the appeal is the call for a comprehensive and transparent resettlement process. Many affected families claim that compensation has been inadequate or delayed, while others say they have been completely overlooked.

Advocates are thanking the current minister for looking in to the plight of the indigenous people and upgrading the capital into an international standard and as well appealing to the FCT administration to: Conduct a fresh audit of affected communities, Provide fair and timely compensation, Develop resettlement areas with schools, healthcare, roads, and water, Ensure community participation in planning and execution.

Without these measures, they warn, the cycle of marginalization will persist.

Balancing Development with Justice

Abuja stands as a symbol of national unity and progress. Yet, its rapid expansion continues to raise questions about who benefits from that progress. Urban development experts argue that sustainable growth must go hand in hand with social justice.

Failing to adequately resettle indigenous populations not only deepens inequality but also risks social tensions that could undermine the city’s long-term stability.

A Call for Political Will

Ultimately, stakeholders believe that the solution lies in political will and only the current minister has the capacity to do it, having demonstrated this in his ealier works in Abuja.

 They are urging the Minister of the FCT who has moved beyond policy statements and took concrete, measurable steps toward fulfilling long-standing commitments.

For Abuja’s indigenous people, this is not merely a policy issue it is a test of fairness and governance.

As the capital continues to grow, they seek not charity, but recognition, inclusion, and the chance to rebuild their lives with dignity.

The story of Abuja is incomplete without its original inhabitants. Their renewed appeal serves as a reminder that development should not come at the cost of displacement without justice. As attention turns once again to the FCT administration, the hope remains that this time, action will match promises and that Abuja can truly become a city that belongs to all.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

In order to create awareness and sensitisation, experts in the health sector on Monday, participated in ‘walk’, to commemorate the World Tuberculosis Day (WTBD), .

The theme for this year’s WTBD is ‘Yes We Can End TB’.

Lots of people came out in their numbers to participate in the sensitisation, the walk that started early morning, didn’t finish until around noon.

People in Wuse II, Abuja, were being sensitized on Tuberculosis and how they can be tested and treated, free of charge.

Among those who spoke after the walk on commemoration of WTBD, was , Dr Eze Chukwu, the impact project coordinator of Knowledge Network for Disease Control and Vigilance (KNCV), Nigeria, Kelechi Nzeadibe, Senior Program Officer, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria(IHVN) and Stella Makpu of National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP).

The experts lamented that lots of people do not know that TB still exists, infectious and is ravaging lots of communities, killing Nigerians, especially people who do not know that screening, testing and treatment is free of charge.

According to Dr. Eze, “2026, yes we can end TB, lots of people believe that TB is an old disease but what we don’t realise is that TB is still available in our communities, we that are in the TB programme we see TB everyday.”

He lamented, “One person that has Tuberculosis within one year transmit it to 15 persons, that is the chain effect of undiagnosed Tuberculosis .

“And that is why we are creating awareness about TB to this community. To let people know that TB is still prevalent around us.

“Anyone you see coughing for over two weeks, having fever, night sweats, that person might be having TB.

“And the beauty is that every stage of treatment of TB is free of charge, from the testing. Etc”.

Dr. Kelechi, while fielding questions from the media said,today (Tuesday) is world TB Day, and participating in this walk will create awareness and sensitisation .

She also urged all stakeholders to put all hands on desk, in order to end TB epidemic in Nigeria.

“Some people don’t know that TB still exist, they think it is an old disease”, She noted.

Her organization, IHVN, ensure that TB treatment on all the states are free and support this kind of outreach in all the states in Nigeria.

Dr Stella said, the awareness is being created simultaneously all over the country.

On meeting their target audience, she said, “We have targets and we are meeting those targets”.