The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Migration

  • Nigeria, EU Move To Finalise Long-Delayed Readmission Agreement

    Nigeria, EU Move To Finalise Long-Delayed Readmission Agreement

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Nigeria and the European Union have renewed discussions on migration cooperation, with both sides working towards concluding a readmission agreement that has been under negotiation since 2016.

    The issue was discussed on Monday in New York during a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner.

    The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters.

    A statement issued by the minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, said Brunner emphasised the need to conclude the EU-Nigeria Readmission Agreement.

    According to the statement, the commissioner said finalising the agreement would provide a framework for broader cooperation between Nigeria and the EU on migration.

    The proposed agreement was also discussed extensively during the eighth Nigeria-EU Ministerial Dialogue held in March 2026.

    Responding, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria wanted any migration partnership with the EU to include support for the reintegration of Nigerians returning to the country.

    She also called for assistance with infrastructure development and the expansion of legal routes for Nigerians seeking employment and other opportunities abroad.

    The minister stressed the importance of creating structured and lawful mobility opportunities for Nigerians, particularly the country’s large young population.

    She also maintained that migration cooperation should take Nigeria’s development priorities into consideration.

    The EU delegation said Nigeria’s concerns had been reflected in the proposed framework for cooperation, which is expected to be expanded into a broader Migration and Security Cooperation Contract.

    The proposed framework would cover several areas, including talent partnerships, legal migration pathways, reintegration of returnees and border management.

    It would also involve cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, to strengthen border management and migration-related operations.

    Nigeria and the EU are also considering an arrangement for information exchange with Europol as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s capacity to tackle transnational organised crime.

    Brunner said the EU was interested in developing legal migration channels through talent partnerships.

    He noted that such arrangements could help address labour and skills shortages in Europe while providing Nigerian professionals with legitimate opportunities abroad.

    The discussions also touched on concerns about irregular migration, with the EU commissioner indicating that progress in tackling irregular migration could help create more opportunities for legal migration.

    The two sides are expected to continue discussions, with Brunner indicating an interest in visiting Abuja in November 2026. The date of the proposed visit is yet to be finalised.

    The latest engagement forms part of efforts by Nigeria and the EU to develop a broader migration partnership covering irregular migration, return and reintegration, legal mobility, border security and opportunities for Nigerian professionals and young people.

  • NIS Deports 99 Foreigners Over Irregular Migration in Two Months

    NIS Deports 99 Foreigners Over Irregular Migration in Two Months

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has repatriated 99 foreigners for irregular migration between July and August 2026, according to its latest operational report prepared for the Office of the National Security Adviser.

    The report states that 90 foreigners were sent back to their home countries in July, while nine others were deported in August. Irregular migration was identified as the primary reason for these actions.

    “90 foreigners were recorded as repatriated in July, while nine were recorded in August. The cases primarily involved irregular migration, with the July records including nationals of Cameroon (33), Niger (four), Pakistan (15), Côte d’Ivoire (38), Burkina Faso (two), Chad (four), Central African Republic (two) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (one),” the report stated.

    Additionally, the NIS rescued 23 victims of human trafficking and exploitation during this period. Seven victims were rescued in July across cases involving Thailand, Mali, Egypt, and domestic locations, while 16 victims were saved in August.

    These operations took place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Seme Border, Baji Patrol Post, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), and other locations.

    Several of the rescued victims were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for care and further investigation. Immigration officers also arrested one stowaway at the MMIA in August.

    “Seven victims were recorded as rescued in July and 16 in August. The records include interventions at MMIA, Seme Border, Baji Patrol Post, NAIA and other locations, with some victims handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

    One stowaway was recorded as apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in August 2026. Twenty-three victims were recorded as rescued across July and August.

    July interventions accounted for seven victims, including cases involving Thailand, Mali, Egypt and domestic locations. August interventions accounted for 16 victims, including cases intercepted at Seme Border, MMIA, NAIA and Baji Patrol Post,” the report detailed.

    The agency also identified four persons of interest, consisting of three in July and one in August.

    “The August case involved a potential trafficking victim who was referred to NAPTIP,” the report added.

    Furthermore, the NIS dismantled a fraudulent transnational organized crime syndicate linked to the QNET/Ignite group, resulting in the arrest of the syndicate leaders and 11 facilitators in Lagos and Ogun states.

    The service stated that these interventions are part of its efforts to strengthen border security, regulate migration, and combat transnational organized crime.

    The report concluded that detecting document fraud, conducting enforcement operations, making arrests, and pursuing prosecutions are vital measures to safeguard Nigeria’s borders, prevent migrant exploitation, ensure effective migration management, and support national security.