Immigration warns Lagosians against hiring illegal immigrants

Posted by admin Headlines, Lagos, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), State News Sunday, July 13th, 2014

Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. David Paradang

The Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, has warned residents of Lagos to desist from hiring illegal immigrants in the state.

It added that those suspected of doing such would be made to face the law.

The Comptroller of Immigration in charge of the command, Mr. Julius Ogbu, gave the warning during a conference on Friday.

Ogbu maintained that due to the security challenges in the country, the service in collaboration with other security agencies had been rounding up illegal immigrants in the state.

He said, “All illegal immigrants in the state should leave immediately and perfect their documents before returning.”

He warned that any Nigerian found to be harbouring an illegal immigrant would be made to pay the cost of deporting the immigrant.

He said the service had deported over 110 illegal immigrants during the week and would continue to do so until the number of illegal immigrants reduced significantly.

He explained that the service was not victimising anybody, but a situation whereby foreigners come into the country through illegal routes posed a security risk.

He said that the NIS had notified embassies before embarking on the operation to enable them to inform their nationals who had not regularised to go back to their countries to do so.

“As a private individual, if you hire an illegal immigrant, you will be held liable and will be made to pay for the repatriation and bear all the cost for deporting the person. Hiring of guards and housemaids that came into the country illegally is unlawful,” he said.

He added, “If they want to become legal, they should go back to pick an ECOWAS travel certificate or a passport and then come back through recognised routes; routes where you have the immigration, customs and other security agencies. They will check you and will know that this person is coming with good intentions.”

-Punchwp_posts