The acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Adepoju Carol Wura-Ola on Tuesday, said the lack of synergy among law enforcement agencies and state actors was hindering the effort of the service to curb the smuggling of migrants in and out of the country.
Adepoju said this at the African International Conference on transnational organised crimes, held at the African Center of Excellence, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Adepoju who was represented by the deputy acting Comptroller General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, said the activities of organised criminal groups posed a great risk to the lives and safety of the smuggled migrants if not curbed.
The NIS boss urged the stakeholders to come together and fight the menace of irregular migrants.
“Despite the constant effort made by different countries to curb smuggling of migrants, the problem persists due to factors like differences in the legal system, language barrier, lack of accurate and relevant data and lack of synergy and sufficient information exchange among law enforcement agencies or state actors.
“Lack of synergy between the state actors is a very painful one because it should be avoidable. If we all want to achieve the same goal, we should be able to work together, cooperate and collaborate.
“There is, therefore, the exigency to strengthen the exchange of information. It is relevant for us to share data and essential for us to promote International cooperation among ourselves.”
Speaking on the theme; ‘Multi-Dimensional Threats of Himan Trafficking: Child Labor; Forced Labour; Baby Factory; Organ Harvesting’, the Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, harped on the need for the need to recognise the enormity of human trafficking in Nigeria, calling on parents to dissuade their children from embarking on irregular migration.
“Recognising the enormity of human trafficking in Nigeria and the ability to tackle same is very important. The internet has no geographical boundary. Traffickers are now able to access a wider pull of potential victims through it.
“The family, community and society should also dissuade their children from embarking on irregular migrating from Nigeria to other parts of the world.”
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Simeon Bamire who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administrative, Prof. O.M.A Daramola while declaring the conference open, promised that the University was going to establish a liaison office for the Nigeria Immigration Service.
