FG Deports 828 Illegal Immigrants in 2024, Strengthens Border Security
The Federal Government has deported 828 illegal immigrants in 2024 as part of its intensified efforts to curb irregular migration and bolster national security.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this during a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, highlighting the government’s strides in immigration control.
“In the last year, 137 victims of trafficking were intercepted, and in 2024 alone, the Nigerian Immigration Service repatriated 828 foreigners,” the minister stated.
As part of ongoing reforms, the government has introduced measures to modernize border management and streamline immigration processes.
Key initiatives include integrating Nigerian passports into the International Civil Aviation Organisation Public Key Directory for seamless global verification and establishing a centralized Visa Approval Centre in Abuja to improve visa processing efficiency.
To support these efforts, an 8.3-petabyte data center—the largest in Nigeria—has been built, along with a solar-powered infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Additionally, a Command and Control Centre now enables real-time monitoring of all land and air entry points, enhancing surveillance capabilities.
The minister also noted that the Nigerian Immigration Service successfully cleared a backlog of 200,000 passport applications within three weeks in 2023 and has issued 1,836,533 passports in 2024.