332 Migrants Barred at Seme Border as Lawmakers Raise Alarm over Unmanned Entry Points

The Federal Government has confirmed that 332 migrants were recently denied entry into Nigeria at the Seme border after immigration officers discovered they were travelling with irregular documents.

Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, revealed that the migrants were intercepted by border patrol operatives during a routine inspection. She also disclosed that 294 Nigerians suspected of being involved in migrant smuggling were prevented from leaving the country through the same route.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitisation seminar in Abuja themed “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated Response,” Nandap said the NIS rescued 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour in the same operation. She warned that migrant smuggling and trafficking are becoming more sophisticated, stressing the need for joint national action to combat the threat.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has expressed concern that Nigeria’s borders remain dangerously porous, with only 84 out of 1,978 entry points being officially manned by security personnel. The remaining 1,894, lawmakers said, are unmonitored and vulnerable to illegal movement of people, arms, and contraband.

Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Border Security, Isa Anka, said during the committee’s inauguration that the situation exposes the nation to grave security risks. He blamed the challenge on inadequate funding, shortage of personnel, and harsh geographical conditions such as forests, deserts, and rivers that make surveillance difficult.