The Nigerian government has deported 62 undocumented migrants back to Mali, a country currently under military rule, as part of its ongoing efforts to tighten border security and curb illegal migration.
The Nigeria Immigration Service, Illela Border Command in Sokoto State, has confirmed the repatriation of the Republic of Mali nationals through the Illela Control Post.
The Controller of the command, Mr Tony Akuneme, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, added that they comprised of 51 males and 11 females.
Akuneme said the Mali nationals were escorted from the NIS headquarters in Abuja to Illela Border in Sokoto by a team of eight officers led by Insp. Mamoud Sadiq, in two buses.
“Upon their arrival, I directed the Assistant Controller in charge of Human Resources, Adamu Mshelia, who also doubled as the Officer in Charge of Anti-Smuggling Unit to oversee the proper documentation of the repatriated individuals.
“After due procedures, the irregular migrants were handed over to officers of the Niger Republic Police at the Birnin Konni control post.
“At Birnin Konni, the migrants underwent another round of screening and documentation before being received by the Commisere, the police chief of the area,” he added.
The surge in illegal migration from Mali is partly linked to its shifting leadership between civilian and military rule.
Illegal migration has become a phenomenon in Nigeria, but this latest deportation underscores the country’s willingness to curb unauthorized migration, particularly from neighboring West African nations. In 2024, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) deported over 800 illegal immigrants for various immigration infractions, including individuals from Niger, India, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Nigeria’s porous borders have long posed challenges, with over 320 unmanned and illegal border routes facilitating the influx of illegal migrants, some of whom have been linked to terrorist activities. The Federal Government’s multi-billion-naira border surveillance systems launched in 2019 have yet to fully stem the tide of unauthorized entries.
The deportation to Mali comes amid heightened regional security concerns, especially following the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January. The exit of these member states has raised alarms about the potential expansion of insecurity from the Sahel region to other parts of West Africa.
Nigeria’s military chief, General Christopher Musa, has emphasized the importance of African solidarity in confronting jihadist threats in the region. He stated, “Nigeria has nothing against Niger, Cameroon, or Burkina Faso. We all need each other. Together, we can confront the jihadists, and the jihadists are coming after them.”
