Adedayo Akinwale ín Abuja
House of Representatives has called on the federal government to immediately review the country’s immigration procedure with a view to restricting illegal immigration and repatriating illegal aliens residing in the country.
The House made the call following the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye at the plenary yesterday.
Describing the closure of the Nigerian land borders for the past three months as a right step in the right direction, the lawmaker added that borders’ closure was not enough without the repatriation of illegal aliens in the country.
Agunsoye explained that the monstrous challenges bedevilling the economy of the nation was as a result of illicit and rampaging activities that have festered along the country’s borders.
He expressed worry over the continued influx of illegal immigrants mostly of African descent into the country, who gained easy access through the various porous land borders.
Agunsoye equally expressed concerned that the uncontrolled immigration of unlawful immigrants into the country posed strained socio-economic and political threat to the
country. He said to have a sustained economic growth as well as security and political stability, Nigeria has to strengthen and control movements at borders and repatriate illegal aliens and unlawful immigrants.
He noted that the implementation of stringent immigration policies and restrictions of illegal movements along the country’s international borders would sprout an imminent verbal and direct attack from neighbouring countries and other countries of the world.
The House, therefore, urged “the federal government to immediately review the immigration procedure in our borders with a view to restricting illegal immigration and repatriating illegal aliens residing in the country.”
He urged the “Comptroller General of Immigrations and the Comptroller General of Customs to be committed to and exercise full control over the movement of persons and good along the Nigerian international borders.”
Meanwhile, the House yesterday received the report of the Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management on the request for the issuance of 10.6 billion promissory notes programme to Kogi State Government and a bond issuance to settle inherited local debts and contractual obligations of the federal government’s refund to state for projects executed on its behalf.
Also, the House also received the report of the Committee on Communications on the issue from the Statutory Revenue Fund of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) with the total sum of ₦140.3 billion.
