The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that more than 840,000 foreign nationals are currently overstaying their visas in Nigeria.
Speaking in a television interview on Tuesday, Tunji-Ojo said the figure was identified through a newly upgraded immigration tracking system, which allows for better monitoring of arrivals and departures in the country.
He noted that irregular migration is not only an issue abroad involving Nigerians, but also affects Nigeria internally, as many foreign visitors fail to leave once their visas expire. “As of this morning, our upgraded system shows that we have about 840,290 visa overstayers in Nigeria. These are citizens from various countries, nearly reaching one million,” the minister stated.
The announcement comes amid growing discussions following a recent migration agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. On March 19, both countries signed three accords to enhance cooperation on migration management.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the agreements are based on mutual understanding and reciprocity, aiming to ensure safe and regulated movement of people while tackling illegal migration, human trafficking, and smuggling.
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