FG repatriates 828 aliens, generates N3.2b from expatriate quota, N2.4b from marriages in 2024, deploys e-arrest reporting system against oil theft

The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed that it repatriated 828 foreigners to their various countries in 2024. Interior minister, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this at a media parley in Abuja.While he did not list their specific offences, he said the repatriation was carried out by the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS. According to him, the major mandate of the ministry is citizenship integrity, internal security and protection of national assets as well as taking care of the legally interned or maladjusted individuals
He said; “Combating irregular migration is a major issue. You know, because in the last one year, 137 victims of trafficking were intercepted. In 2024, 42 objects of struggling of migrants were intercepted. And of course, 800 last year alone. 828 foreigners were repatriated in 2024 by the Nigerian Immigration Service. Of course, when we came on board, we met a backlog of over 200, 000 passports, you know, and in record time, in less than three weeks, we were able to clear that in 2023 and in 2024 the Nigeria Immigration Service issued 1,836,533”.
The minister added that there is also now a very strict verification system for foreigners who are interested in Nigerian citizenship. ”There is a lot of handshake with security agencies and we don’t want to delve too deeply into that because of security concerns, because there is a lot of handshake to be a Nigerian citizen. Now, it is a lot of factors, there are a lot of ‘i’s’ to be dotted and “t’s” to be crossed without quitting the bureaucracy, but at least through the adoption of technology. It is going to be a better experience for the applicant, but it is also going to ensure that government is able to take decisions from an objective point of view”.