Mustapha Sani, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Comptroller in charge of the Jibia Special Border Command, Katsina State, has issued a cautionary message to Nigerians against traveling to the Niger Republic.
This warning comes in the wake of a coup d’état in the neighboring country, which has led to the imposition of sanctions on Niger by other West African nations.
Speaking during a joint celebration with the Katsina State Command of the NIS, held to commemorate the service’s 60th anniversary, Sani urged Nigerians to stay at home and refrain from attempting to cross into the Niger Republic until the embargo is lifted.
“Nigerians should stay at home and not attempt to go to the Niger Republic until the embargo is lifted. And we are determined to return any Nigerien we catch who is planning to come to this country,” he said.
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He also emphasized the NIS’s commitment to apprehend and return any Nigerien found planning to enter Nigeria during this period.
The NIS is taking proactive measures to manage the situation effectively. Sani disclosed that the Service is deploying personnel to monitor and secure the Katsina border, with a focus on curbing illegal movements from the Niger Republic into Nigeria. He stressed that despite certain shared aspects such as religion and culture, valid documents are essential for anyone seeking entry into Nigeria.
“Despite the fact that we are divided by colonial masters, we share certain things in common like religion and culture, and that doesn’t guarantee them to enter Nigeria without valid documents,” he added.
“We have already put our officers on alert and we have already deployed some to go and man the orthodox routes through which some of the foreigners use to enter into Nigeria and from what we have on the ground, we know it will be impossible for them to enter into Nigeria.
“We have already stationed our officers at strategic places for stop and search as usual.”
Furthermore, the Comptroller in charge of the Katsina Command of the NIS, Muhammad Adamu, highlighted the Command’s significant achievements in border management, particularly in patrolling irregular and porous land borders.
The NIS aims to celebrate its successes while also raising awareness about its ongoing efforts in Katsina State. Adamu assured that the Command would continue to work diligently to achieve even greater results in border control.
As the situation in the Niger Republic remains sensitive, the NIS remains vigilant and has stationed officers at strategic locations for stop-and-search operations to prevent unauthorized entry into Nigeria.
