Immigration Officials Intercept 7 Cameroonians In Cross River

Operatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service have intercepted seven Cameroonians along Ikot Obong Creek in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State.

This was disclosed in a statement signed on Friday by the Public Relations Officer, for Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, DCI James Sunday.

According to the statement, the Cameroonians were caught while attempting to enter the country in a boat.

Consequently, they were denied entry and returned back to their country through Ikang Control post, while the boat that brought them was impounded.

The arrest is among series of interceptions between Cross River and Akwa Ibom state commands respectively, bothering Cameroon in recent times amidst the Federal Government’s directive on border closure.

Anaedoonline.com reported that the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede (MFR) has further directed commands at the border to intensify patrol and reconnaissance along the flanks, creeks, waterways, and inroads into the country in order to frustrate the attempts of the irregular migrants.

The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has ordered passport offices nationwide to release processed passport to applicants.

Mr Babandede said in a statement on Monday by the Nigeria Immigration Service spokesman, Sunday James, that the passport offices should take advantage of the gradual easing of lockdown as directed by the Federal Government.

Babandede had during the lockdown directed passport offices nationwide to clear all passport backlog for applicants enrolled for immediate issuance when the lockdown is lifted.

“NIS has directed applicants to follow the NCDC directive on social distancing, wearing of face mask, washing of hands using soap, use of hand sanitisers among others at the point of collection of the passport,” the statement said.

“Applicants are to be invited in batches via SMS, anyone invited will show proof of invitation before they are allowed into the premises which must coincide with the date scheduled for the respective applicant to turn up and collect their passport.

“Any passport applicant who did not receive SMS need not visit the passport office until they are invited via SMS to avoid unnecessary crowding and refusal of entry at the entrance to the passport offices.”