The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Martin Abeshe, says the Service had put in place new stringent measures to flush out illegal migrants from Nigeria.

Abeshe made the disclosure at a world press briefing on migration and border management issues in Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.

He decried the menace of illegal immigrants in the country and noted that the service had arrested and deported a lot of culprits across the country.

“I am sure you have been hearing of arrests and deportation of these illegal migrants by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) from across the country.

“We are up to the task; our officers in the various parts of the country are performing very well, that is why today there has been a drastic drop in the number of foreigners who commit crime and violence in the country.

“We have also put in place additional measures to checkmate any foreigner that is here to disrupt the peace we are enjoying.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that about 500 migrants were recently arrested by the NIS in Niger, of whom 300 were declared illegal immigrants and awaiting deportation.

Abeshe also said that the NIS was doing a lot to ensure more efficiency in the production of international passports for Nigerians in line with international best practice.

He said as part of efforts to reposition the Service, the NIS had concluded plans to host the Comptroller-General of Immigration Annual Conference and Stakeholders Interactive Forum.

He said the forum would afford participants opportunity to access the performance of the NIS compared to world best practice.

Abeshe said that recommendations reached at the end of the conference would be presented to the Federal Executive Council and could be gazetted as a policy document that would transform operations of the NIS.

He said that the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, European Union (EU) and local and foreign migration and border experts would deliver papers at the conference.

NAN reports that the conference would take place between April 6 and April 8 in Lafia, Nasarawa State. (NAN)

•Photo shows Comptroller-General, NIS, Mr Martin Abeshe.

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