Irregular migration of Nigerians abroad has assumed a worrisome dimension in recent times. Recently, the Saudi Arabian government arrested about 800 Nigerians for irregular migration and other offences. According to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), a communication from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation indicated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intensified joint operations across the country between October and December 2022. Their target, it said, was to rid the Kingdom of undocumented irregular migrants. NiDCOM urged Nigerians travelling to that country without proper documentation not to do so, imploring them to resist breaking the laws of other countries.
This is not the first time Saudi Arabia would deport Nigerians. In July 2017, for instance, the Kingdom sent no fewer than 198 Nigerians illegally residing in that country home. This number was said to be out of the 1,800 Nigerians reportedly living illegally in that country. The returnees were said to have voluntarily accepted the amnesty offer granted illegal immigrants by the Saudi authorities to leave the country.
Saudi Arabia is just one among many countries Nigerians migrate to without proper documentation. Some European, American and even African countries, including Italy, Libya and South Africa, have had cause to deport Nigerians at one time or the other. A poor country like Niger Republic had once deported some Nigerians as well. In 2016, over 20, 000 Nigerians were reported to be involved in the Mediterranean Sea crossing. Recently, Tunisian coast guard rescued over 400 African migrants in a single night off the country’s coast. The coast guard also reportedly foiled 16 attempts to illegally immigrate by sea to Europe. Many of these people are killed in the process.
One of the factors fuelling irregular migration is the economic situation in the country. Many youths are affected by joblessness and hunger. Out of desperation, they seek for greener pastures abroad. Currently, the rate of unemployment in the country is over 33 per cent. Youth unemployment is even higher.
This situation has precipitated poverty and hunger, which have taken greater hold of millions of Nigerians. From about 87 million people in extreme poverty bracket in 2018, when the World Poverty Clock first adjudged Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world, the number of poor people in the country has climbed to over 100 million. Besides, Nigeria happens to be among the top 10 hunger hot spots in the world. Youths are among those mostly affected by this phenomenon. Hence, they prefer to die in the desert trying to cross to Europe through North Africa to dying of hunger at home. Most of them erroneously believe that life anywhere outside Nigeria is far better than life in Nigeria. Another factor pushing Nigerians out of the country is insecurity. Banditry, terrorism and sundry crimes now hold sway. Travellers, schoolchildren, clerics and many others are kidnapped at will. Many have been killed. Some regained freedom after payment of heavy ransom. In this madness, nowhere is safe.
Nevertheless, it is pertinent to note that it is against international law to move into another country without proper documentation. Not only does it project the poor image of the country to the outside world, it also poses problems for even genuine travellers as they are subjected to all manner of search at entry points of many countries. Solutions to our problems have been hard to find because most of our leaders never prepared to rule. Most of them had selfish ambition just to be at the helm of affairs without any plans for the country they came to govern. That is not how it is done in sane environments.
This government should be able to do something about this irregular migration problem. Even the new government that will be coming in May should also see it as a point of duty to tackle the problem decisively. It should be able to do something in relation to poverty, unemployment and underemployment. It should rejig the economy and make it attractive for Nigerians to remain in Nigeria. The issue of insecurity should also be tackled. Once we have good governance and stability, the problem will reduce. No sensible person will prefer to stay in another country if their country is doing well. Our policy makers should do things that will retain people in the country. There should be conscious efforts to celebrate young Nigerians who are success stories in their fields of endeavour in Nigeria.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) should produce jingles that will enlighten Nigerians on the effects of illegal migration and to let them know that all that glitters abroad is not gold. On their part, the youths should be creative. They should realise that it’s not always greener outside. Leaving the country at the slightest opportunity is not the solution. We have the human and material resources to make the country great. All Nigerians must join hands to make that possible.