From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Worried by the increasing desperation of most Nigerians to travel to foreign countries for greener pastures, the Nigeria Immigration Service,. NIS has advised Nigerians, especially the youths to jettison their desperation for overseas travel noting that all that gillters may after all not gold.
ACG Nkechi Ezugwu, the Comptroller Imo State Command of NIS disclosed this on Friday at the Service secretariat while sensitizing prospective migrants on the need for proper documentations and orderly traveling as part of the programmes marking their 2023 Anti- SOM Week with the theme: Travel Orderly, Safely and Regularly, she defined SOM as Smuggling Of Migrates.
Ezugwu decried the operations of some travelling agencies and agents that despite their sweet coated promises only ends up subjecting their clients into frustration, imprisonment, exploitation, slavery, prostitution, drugs peddling among other anti social vices and enjoined migrates to look before they leap.
According to her, ” most of these traveling agencies and agents are fraudulent, they deceive travellers alot with fake promises. Many out of desperation have died in the desert, Mediterranean sea etc. If you must travel ensure your traveling documents are okay and complete, you must follow the right route and have a convincing vision of what you want to do and who you’re staying with”.
She pointed out that migration is an ancient of days life activities but cautioned against illegal migration despite the hardship in the country while reassuring that Nigeria have the potentials to be great again.
Earlier, ACI Alexander Nwokorie, In charge of Anti – SOM Section advised migrates on the need to ask relevant questions concerning their trips, should not swallow hook line and sinker all the promises of traveling agents or agencies.
Nwokorie warned them to be mindful of organ harvesting and traveling to constitute personal or national nuisance lamenting that over 24,000 Nigerians are currently in detention in Libya just as over 23,000 illegal migrate Nigerians are languishing in Chad’s prisons.
According to him, ” the level of desperado among Nigerians and more especially her youths to travel overseas have called for serious concerns. Yes, things are hard, must you enter from frying pan to fire? It’s not so easy abroad. Most often we are been deceived by falsehood.
“Everybody must not travel, but in case you wish . You must have an objective and mission, proper documents and be prepared to follow the right route or routes. Certainly, illegal documents and illegal route or routes, will definitely land you in regretable problems” he pointed out.
The Senior Immigration Officer further advised parents on the need to guide there children and relations saying the proverbial sounds of bitter kola is not the same as its sweetness describing most traveling agents and agencies as “fraudulent and sheep in wolf clothing”.
Adding his voice, DSI Chiaka Okere, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, PRO lamented that over 90% of Nigerians are desperately interested in leaving the country to other foreign countries attributing such urge to two factors, he described as PUSH and PULL factors.
Push he linked to hardship and bad governance while Pull he attributed to the urge or desire for good and efficient governance and services.
Okere reiterated the need for checks, acquisition of proper documentations and following the right route before traveling as the in thing, lamenting that many immigrants out of gullibility and desperation have been exploited and subjected into modern slavery.
Highlights of the occasion was sumptuous refreshments served to all and sundry present.
