The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Cross River has begun regular patrols and monitoring of border areas to tackle illegal and irregular migrations.

The deputy comptroller of NIS in Cross River, Ibiama Oshiokamel, disclosed this at a public sensitisation programme in Calabar on Friday.

The sensitisation programme, holding simultaneously nationwide, has the theme “Say No to Migrant Smuggling: If You Must, Migrate Orderly, Safely, and Regularly.”

Ms Oshiokamel said the immigration service would deploy both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to address the challenges of illegal and irregular migration.

She also said the service would continue to hold sensitisation programmes to create awareness about the inherent dangers of illegal migration.

“The dangers in illegal and irregular migration far outweigh what people see as the benefits. So there is a need for everyone to rise up against this menace,” she said.

“We are not preaching against travelling; we are saying that those travelling should follow the rules by obtaining the right documents through the regular channels,” she said.

Also, Bissong Bestman, a deputy superintendent of immigration, stated that the sensitisation programme was in the public’s interest.

Mr Bestman said people who got involved in illegal migration had often fallen prey to financial scams, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.

The NIS official urged members of the public to follow the laid-down rules when planning to travel out of the country, in their own interests.

(NAN)