Calabar – The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Calabar on Thursday, received over 455 illegal migrants repatriated from Gabon to Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the illegal migrants, who were mostly citizens of some ECOWAS countries, were repatriated for not having valid documents.
Receiving the migrants, Comptroller of Immigration in Cross River, Mrs Funke Adeuyi, said they were repatriated from Gabon for not being in possession of valid travelling documents.
She said the migrants were not criminals, adding that they were repatriated because they did not possess valid travelling documents while in Gabon.
“This is the second time we are receiving this batch of deportees from Gabon this year.
“The first batch of 590 deportees arrived Calabar on June 23,’’she said.
Adeuyi said the NIS would ensure the migrants were transported through Nigeria to the nearest land crossing to their countries of origin.
She said: “they are mainly from Mali, Togo, Senegal, Niger Republic, Guinea Conakry and other African countries.
“The NIS under the present leadership of our Comptroller-General, Mr David Parradang, has trained men of the service in areas of promoting better migrant management in Nigeria.
“Our officers are well trained; we have medical team and SEMA on ground and we are collaborating with other security agencies to ensure that we give migrants humane treatment and food.’’
Col. Moustapha Sarr, an attachee from the Embassy of Senegal in Nigeria, who came to receive the deported Senegalese, said that over 8,000 Senegalese were resident in Gabon.
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He confirmed that the deported Senegalese entered Gabon without valid traveling documents and commended the NIS for receiving them.
One of the deportees, Mr Asamoa Pansil, told NAN that he entered Gabon in February this year without valid travelling documents.
“I am happy that I was deported from Gabon without any harm. I will now find my way back to my country Ghana,’’ he said. (NAN)