Nigeria denied 15,000 visitors entry in four months – Minister (How many sneaked in undetected?)

Posted by admin Latest Politics Friday, June 1st, 2012

June 1, 2012 by Simon Utebor 15 Comments

Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, says Nigeria has drastically reduced the number of infiltrators into the country.

He said no fewer than 15,000 illegal immigrants had been refused entry into the country in the last four months.

Moro stated these during the inauguration of the first batch of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Staff Welfare Car Scheme in Lagos on Thursday.

The scheme was an initiative of the NSCDC Staff Cooperative Society supported by Haggins & Frames Limited and sponsored by First Bank Nigeria Plc.

The minister said, “I can say that we have been able to reduce to a very significant level, the number of people that infiltrate Nigeria.

“I can tell you that over 4,000 illegal aliens within the period of February and now have been eased out of Nigeria. Also, 325 persons have been deported while 15,000 people coming to Nigeria have been refused entry into the country.”

He said his ministry had tried to ensure internal security by securing the nation’s borders, stressing that the Nigeria Immigration Service had been working to ensure that only people with legitimate documents entered into the country.

Moro said efforts were being made to reinforce the prisons system.

“It is true that hoodlums attack our prisons in order to free inmates. The efforts we are making is to reinforce our prison system by training, equipping and deploying more officers in the prisons. Jailbreak will not happen again – I mean everything will be done to prevent it,” he said.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola congratulated the NSCDC authorities for allowing the project to succeed.

The governor, represented by Director, General Services, Ministry of Special Duties, Mr. J.O. Abogunde, urged Nigerians to resolve to tackle insecurity, saying it had become a very serious matter in the country.

He urged the beneficiaries to be dedicated to their duties and use the vehicles wisely for the development of the country.

Earlier, the President, NSCDC Staff Cooperative Society, Mr. David Abi, said 500 persons would benefit from the scheme in the first instance.

He said, “The scheme is a continuous programme. This is the first batch. When we got the approval from the minister, we hired some consultants and approached First Bank which agreed to finance it.”

“They asked us to pay 10 per cent of the cost of the car while the bank balances the 90 per cent. For now, only those on grade level 10 and above are entitled to the scheme. The payment for the cars will be spread over four years.”-

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