The Nigerian Immigration Service, Lagos State Command arrested 27 women and a 15-year 

old boy in the Lagos Mainland area of the state.

The suspects who were nationals of Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana had been said to have 

been without a valid entry passport or visa and would be sent back to their various 

countries as soon as all necessary investigation has been concluded.

A few of the arrested people were nursing mothers carrying their babies. While the elderly 

ones showed remorse, the ladies in the group chatted away as they avoided press interview 

and snapshots. A woman in her 50s, who identified herself as Mrs. Oluwaseun Joseph, from 

Cotonou, Benin Republic, was in tears as she pleaded for time to get her documents.

She said, “I have been in this country for a long time; I gave birth to my three children here. 

My husband who is also from Benin Republic, died some years ago’’.

“The work I do is to carry people’s load at Ebute Meta. I started the work when I was sick 

and needed money. That was what I was doing when they came to arrest me. If I had 

known about the document, I would have gotten it long ago. What will I do now? My kids 

are still in school.”

Ishay Befaye, a fifteen-year old who was one of those arrested said he had been in Lagos for 

just one month. He said, “I am 15 years old. I came to Lagos on my own. My father is dead 

while my mother is in Benin Republic. I finished learning bricklaying in Benin and came to 

Nigeria to find work. I planned to raise enough money and then regularize my papers. I 

make a lot of money from the work. I have a bank account in Lagos where I keep the 

money. I am just begging them to give me some time to get home and tell my friends that I 

want to go to the village to get my papers.”

7,836 Nigerians Bar From Travelling Abroad.

A total of 7,836 Nigerians were prevented from travelling out of the country by the 

Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) within the last six months of 2014.

In addition, another set of 4,896 were deported from various countries of the world within 

the same period, say NIS public relation officer, Chukwuemeka Obua at the media parley of 

the Forum of Spokesperson of Security and Response Agencies(FOSSRA) in Abuja.

He said that many reasons account for why some Nigerians were refused permission to 

leave the country including doubts concerning their motive and conflicting travelling 

documents as their destination countries may decide to refuse them entry.

He also said, “Deployment of additional 24 immigration attaches to 12 new missions in 

furtherance of government’s Citizen Diplomacy policy thrust. The commencement of the 

Electronic Passenger Automated Registration System.

Olakunle O. Bolarinwa.

Is a Nightline Family Member Of The Voice Of America {VOA}.

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