According to the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) on Monday, the Federal Government has deported about 11,000 foreigners mainly from Niger and Chad over the past six months to control a growing Islamist insurgency.
“The latest number of foreigners repatriated as at this morning is 11,000,” NIS public relations officer, Joachim Olumba said.
“The bulk of them are from Niger and Chad.”
The extremist Islamist sect Boko Haram blamed for dozens of attacks in Nigeria that have claimed hundreds of lives.
Government officials had recently said the activities of the sect had been aided by illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries.
Olumba said the repatriation “has been intensified in the past six months following the Boko Haram insurgency,” adding: “We have an obligation to rid the country of undesirable elements.”
He said immigration officers last week caught 120 people trying to enter illegally from Niger “and we quickly sent them back to their country”.
The Immigration Service has threatened to prosecute the employers of illegal aliens.
Mr. Olumba said the NIS had already sent a bill to the National Assembly to amend the Immigration law in order to allow for such prosecutions.
According to Olumba, the NIS Bill prescribes prosecution and jail terms for anyone that employs or keeps illegal aliens as house helps, guards, nannies and company workers.
Olumba said, “We have been carrying out quiet arrests of illegal immigrants across the country. I don’t have the exact figure but over 7,000 illegal aliens have been arrested and deported so far.
“You don’t just employ an illegal alien as mai-guard, house help or company employee. All immigrants must be registered and anyone who employs an illegal immigrant will face prosecution and jail terms.
“We presented a review of the NIS Act which reflects the current realities before the Sixth National Assembly but it didn’t pass the Second Reading; we implore the Seventh National Assembly to pass the law without delay.”
Many Nigerians are known to employ undocumented aliens such as Nigeriens, Chadians, Malians and others as security guards and house helps, while many firms have Asians in their employ without documentation.
