The Comptroller of Immigration in Enugu State, Joachim Olumba, expressed concern on Thursday, while speaking at a sensitization campaign on the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) in conjunction with the International Center for Migration Policy and Development (ICMPD).

The senior officer stated that the exodus of the young, the old and professionals had become an alarming trend.

“Not only the youth, but older generation of Nigerians exhibit interest to leave the country.

“This is creating a worrisome phenomenon which has come to be popularly known in local parlance as “Japa”, he said.

Olumba observed that the desire to leave Nigeria was borne out of social, economic and security concerns.

The comptroller said to some, what is paramount is migrating from the country, not the means of reaching their destinations.

Olumba said such persons were not bothered about being smuggled, trafficked or hidden in ships.

“The ultimate interest is to relocate to foreign lands. As far as the vast majority are concerned, the end will eventually justify the means”, he noted.

Recall that in Nigeria on Tuesday, July 5, terrorists had attacked the Kuje Medium Custodial Centre and freed 879 inmates including those linked with terrorism, with 443 recaptured so far.

Following this, the Nigerian Correctional Service on On Friday, July 8, released the names and images of 69 fleeing inmates with terrorism cases.

Reacting, the Ghana Immigration Service Comptroller-General, Laud Affrifah, in a leaked memo dated July 8 and signed stated that it was likely the escapees would attempt to enter Ghana through both approved and unapproved routes, The  Punch reports.

The service, however, ordered its personnel to intensify patrols to stop and intercept all escapees at the country’s borders.

It partly read, “It is believed that the Jihadist group Boko Haram are behind the attack which saw the use of high-end explosives and guns, that freed all 64 Boko Haram linked inmates at the prison and are among the escapees who are still on the run.

“Considering current migration trends of Nigerians within the sub-region, it is likely most of the escapees will attempt to enter Ghana through both approved and unapproved routes.

“In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to institute stringent measures at all Points of Entry and intensify patrols to deter and intercept all escapees who will attempt to infiltrate the country.

“Find attached pictures with names of the escaped Boko Haram suspects.
Please treat as urgent.”

The Governor urged the NIS to monitor immigrants coming into the country through land, sea, and air borders.

He stated this when he received the Comptroller of the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Bauchi Aliyu, at the State House, Alausa on Monday.

The meeting followed an alarm Sanwo-Olu raised on the disappearance of some air passengers.

According to the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, the passengers “came into the country via Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos but could not be reached for COVID-19 status monitoring by EKOTELEMED because they supplied wrong contact details.

“As the gatekeeper, Sanwo-Olu charged NIS to work with frontline responders stationed at ports of entry across border posts to ensure in-bound travellers adhere to laid down COVID-19 protocols.”

The new order is coming barely 24 hours after Biden was took over as the President from Trump.

The good news with this development is, Nigerians will now be able to apply for green cards.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Biden also reversed the systemic ban placed on citizens from Muslim dominated countries like Yemen.

Recall that in February 2020, Trump had placed an immigrant visa ban on Nigeria, citing Nigeria’s lack of a robust database.

The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary-Beth Leonard, stated at the time that Nigeria must improve on its data intelligence to ease the investigation of its citizens wishing to migrate to the US, if it wants the ban lifted.

The Nigerian government subsequently set up a committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonisation, to address the complaints of the US which led to the recent push for all Nigerians to register with the National Identity Management Commission and obtain a National Identity Number.

The Bloomberg report reads in part, “The ban that Biden ended, blocked entry to most people from Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and North Korea. It also restricted immigrant visas for people from Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, and Eritrea as well as for certain others from Venezuela and Tanzania.”

Biden on Wednesday began reversing Trump’s immigration policies, part of an aggressive push to roll back some of the most controversial actions of his predecessor and chart a new course for the nation, The Punch reports.

In one of his first acts as president, Biden signed an executive action ending restrictions on travel and immigration from some predominantly Muslim countries. The measure directs the State Department to resume visa processing for those countries and develop a plan to address people affected, such as those who were denied entry to the US.

The action also orders reviews of other “extreme vetting” practices used by the Trump administration, while directing the US to improve information-sharing with foreign governments to bolster screening of travellers.

This was disclosed to journalists on Friday in Ottawa by the Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino. According to the Minister, the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected some sectors, which is why Canada wants to fill gaps in its labor market and boost the economy.

Mendicino admitted that his country needs more workers, adding that, “immigration is the way to get there”.
“Before the pandemic, our government’s goal to drive the economy forward through immigration was ambitious. Now it’s simply vital,” he said.

Ottawa, the capital of Canada, has projected 232,500 newcomers from the economic class of immigrants in 2021. The state will receive 103,500 family members of people already in Canada, 59,500 refugees, and other protected persons.

At least, 5,500 people will be accepted on humanitarian grounds. Robert Falconer, an immigration and refugee policy researcher at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy, has reacted to the target.

“Canada announced new immigration targets today for 2021-2023. If they hit them, it will be the highest years on record since 1911”, he tweeted.