Crime News
NIS Arrests Citizens Of Ghana, Benin Republic & Togo Without Passports In Lagos Nigeria
Oct 24, 2014 – Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS Arrests Citizens Of Ghana, Benin Republic & Togo Without Passports In Lagos
The Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, on Thursday arrested 27 women and a 15-year-old boy in the Lagos Mainland area of the state.
The suspects were nationals of Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana.
They were said to be without a valid entry passport or visa, and would be repatriated as soon as the agency concluded all necessary investigation.
A few of the women were nursing mothers who had their babies strapped to their backs.
While the elderly ones showed remorse, the young ladies in the group chatted away as they avoided press interview and snapshots.
A woman in her 50s, who identified herself as Mrs Oluwaseun Joseph, from Cotonou, Benin Republic, was in tears as she pleaded for time to get her documents.
Joseph, who spoke in Yoruba with PUNCH Metro, said although she had stayed long in Nigeria, she did not know the importance of a valid passport until she was arrested on Thursday.
She said, “I have been in this country for a long time. I gave birth to my three children here. My husband who is also from Benin Republic, died some years ago.
“The work I do is to carry people’s load at Ebute Meta. I started the work when I was sick and needed money.
“That was what I was doing when they came to arrest me. If I had known about the document, I would have got it long ago. What will I do now? My kids are still in school.”
Fifteen-year-old Ishay Befaye said he had been in Lagos for only one month.
He said, “I am 15 years old. I came to Lagos on my own. My father is dead while my mother is in Benin Republic. I finished learning bricklaying in Benin and I came to Nigeria to find work. I planned to raise enough money and then regularise my papers. I make a lot of money from the work.
“I have a bank account in Lagos where I keep the money. I am just begging them to give me some time to get home and tell my friends that I want to go to the village to get my papers.”
But the state’s Comptroller, Justina Ahamdu, told our correspondent the command would not give the illegal immigrants a second chance.
Ahmadu said the agency had had a meeting with heads of ECOWAS members in the state, to warn against the danger of living in the country without valid documents.
She said, “I had a meeting with the heads of ECOWAS in the state in August when I resumed office, and I told them to warn their people staying in the country illegally, that if we picked them, we would not listen to them. And it was during the meeting I learnt that they also usually had periodic meetings with their fellow countrymen.
“Normally, when we go for raids like this, we profile and screen them before repatriating them. While repatriating them, we tell them that to be legal residents, they need to get valid documents and pass through authorised routes, before they can be allowed to stay. This is a continuous process.”
She warned that Nigerians, who keep illegal immigrants for cheap labour or obstruct officials of the agency from making arrests, may also be made to face the wrath of the law.
[Reported By Samson Folarin, PUNCHNG]
Ramses
October 24, 2014 at 5:59 PM
That is well. But I think that ECOWAS countries citizens don’t need passport but an identity card to leave in any parts of the ECOWAS space. But before starting doing this or repatriate this people, Nigeria authorities must sensitize Nigerians outside first. If not, we will be the ones that will cry again. Because most of Nigerians will be repatriated to Nigeria. We have many problems in country, and we want to create another one. Let us think well, well, well and well. After all we are African before Oyinbo came and divide us.
AYENIROMO
October 24, 2014 at 7:03 PM
Ramses you are very right, the reprisal actions by these other countries will be more devastating than what Nigeria is doing right now. There are many more Nigerians scattered everywhere in Africa than any other nationals. Nigeria should think twice about what they are doing before it back fires. The sad thing is the fact that most Nigerians residing abroad are barely tolerated by their hosts for their perenial harbit of breaking one law or the other in their host countries. Nigerians are the worst culprits when one talks of lawlessness in foreign land so authorities in Nigeria must thread cautiously. We should be each others brother’s keepers, being an African giant should not be for nothing.
naija
October 24, 2014 at 8:16 PM
abeg make una free dem. yeye nigeria na country wen need visa?
Patbest
October 24, 2014 at 8:47 PM
Actually, this is one of the best news i have read from this site, ECOWAS passport is not enough for a Nigerian to live in west africa countries.
I live in Senegal, ECOWAS passport last only three months here, after that is police harrasement here and there, they insist we most have resident permit which cost more than $400, if i need resident permit to live in any west Africa country, any foreigner in Nigeria from west africa also need resident permit to live in Nigeria. shekina
kendra
October 24, 2014 at 10:06 PM
there is no need to repatriate then please let them stay .we are all Africans. ,,as long as they are not committing crime in the country let them stay please.
www.updat***
October 24, 2014 at 10:09 PM
Good for them… They won’t allow someone to drink water and drop cup in their country
RAZZO
October 25, 2014 at 7:32 AM
FOOLISHNESS THEY SHOULD LIVE THESE WOMEN TO GO. NOT LESS THAT 100000000 NIGERIANS ARE LIVING IN GHANA WITHOUT ANY VALID DOCUMENT OR PASSPORT BUT THEY ARE LIVING FREELY. LET THESE INNOCENT WOMEN THAT CAN’T COURSE ANY HARM GO FREE, YOU SHOULD GO AND FIGHT BOKO HARAM.
shalama
October 25, 2014 at 3:06 PM
It is about time you start arresting immigrants leaving in Nigeria without visa. The influx of illegal immigrants to Nigeria is the reason why there is a great increase of armed robbers in Nigeria. If you don’t take care of what you have others will mess it up for you.
BLOODINMYEYES
December 30, 2015 at 7:00 PM
Ok, that is good , Nigerians should continue like that , and they forget that Nigeria have enough immigrants living freely without any valid document outside their country , here foreigners are just suffering and use like animals ,what those Poors people are gaining exactly in Nija? are they rich and cannot afford a better living? , how many of them are millionaire ? I don’t blame them , i blame useless Africans governments whose have no plan for their citizens if not what are they coming here for ? What are the laws of Ecowas ?
adika seto idowu justin
July 7, 2016 at 6:46 PM
it’s so unfortunate that we a leaving in Nigeria like we are in the Europe was born in Nigeria but it doesn’t matter to the NIS .IF AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARE DEPORTING THEIR FELLOW AFRICAN WHAT WILL HE WHITE DO.