NIS @ 60, Enlightens Public Against Traveling Out Irregularly, Illegally

 Peterclaver Egbochue

The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, on Tuesday, the 1^st of August, 2023 rolled out the drums to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of its existence in Nigeria, and as part of the activities lined up for the celebration, the zone ‘A’ command, Ikeja, Lagos embarked on a walkout from its office to the Bond FM studio through PWD and Ladipo respectively to sensitize and enlighten the general public on the dangers of traveling out irregularly, illegally and without orderliness in what is currently described as the ‘japa’ syndrome’.

Japa is a term meaning traveling out of the country for a greener pasture.

Other activities lined up for the celebration include a parade, lecture/public talk, cultural exhibition, sporting activities, and dinner on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

Before setting out, the officers observed one-minute silence in honour of their fallen colleagues. Some of the officers displayed placards with different inscriptions. Some of them read: “Stop human trafficking, say no to illegal japaing”, “Together, let us stop human trafficking/irregular migration,” and “If you must migrate, migrate regularly, orderly, and safely.”

The ACG/zonal coordinator, K.A.Sadiq, who led the walkout exercise, appealed to the public particularly parents to monitor their children closely so as not to allow them to fall prey to human traffickers. He maintained that there is nothing wrong with anybody wanting to travel abroad to seek greener pastures but that such a person should follow the right channel.

ACG Sadiq appealed to the public to always approach the NIS personnel for relevant information before embarking on such trips to ensure their safety. He however emphasized that the streets of America and other European countries are not littered with dollars and pounds where people just pick money, stressing that they even work harder to be able to make money over there.

In his words, “There’s an issue we need to address and that is the issue concerning our children, we have been hearing the story of Japa…japa, what is this japa all about? There’s nothing wrong in somebody japaing, there’s no sin in anybody trying to travel out of the country but you must have a reason why you have to japa.

“It is not the issue of somebody hiding somewhere and telling your children that the moment you travel out of the country, you will start picking money on the road. All is a lie….all is a lie. It’s all lies. In fact, you work more over there to be able to make that money they are talking about. But many people, because they want to make money out of your children and my own children, they confuse them to the point of taking them out of the country.

“Some, they will go to the extent of giving them another name aside from the name you, the father or mother gave them. You will see somebody whose name is Kehinde now bearing Kennyroger. At the end of the day, they go there to become a public charge, some will go to the extent of removing their organs without them knowing. We all heard the recent story that happened in the UK where a Nigerian was involved in an organ harvesting case.”

At the Ladipo bus stop, the message was re-echoed by the ACG who charged the drivers to help in the campaign against japa syndrome.

“If you have any questions about traveling abroad, always ask NIS personnel for the right channel to follow. I always, pass here; you can stop me and ask me questions. You often carry people in your buses and you listen to their conversations, help us pass this message that it is risky to travel without the right papers.

Responding, the chairman of Ladipo/Leventis Park, Mr. Lazarus Kumaga, thanked the ACG for the message and promised to pass it on to the general public.

However, a commercial bus operator at Ladipo asked the ACG to appeal to the federal government to address the root cause of the japa syndrome if they actually want to discourage people from the trend.  

Back to the office, ACG Sadiq commended the officers who participated in the walkout and charged those who absconded to ensure that they participate in the subsequent activities, adding that as paramilitary personnel, they should participate in regular exercises to keep fit.

He commended the NAPTIP representatives for always partnering with the NIS, noting that “if we collaborate together, it will enhance national security.

The activities continue on Wednesday with a parade.