The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has seized 6,216 national identity cards and Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) from some migrants in 21 border states across the country.

The controller general of NIS, Isa Jere, said this on Wednesday at a retreat for top management staff of the service, in Abuja.

The retreat and operational briefing were part of preparations for the forthcoming polls.

Mr Jere said 3,823 national identity cards and 2,393 voter cards unlawfully possessed by migrants were confiscated.

He said the vital documents were intercepted in Nasarawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Yobe, Kwara, Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Zamfara, Jigawa, Edo, Bauchi, Niger, and three other states.

Mr Jere said the cards were seized in ongoing operations to ensure that migrants from neighbouring countries did not participate in the forthcoming general elections.

The commandant general warned that stiff sanctions await any migrant who attempted to participate in the nation’s electoral process.

He said the arrested culprits had since been returned to their countries in line with ECOWAS protocol on free movement.

Mr Jere tasked all immigration personnel to regard the February 25 and March 11 elections as an opportunity to showcase their proficiency in border management and intelligence gathering.

He warned that those caught compromising their duties would be treated as saboteurs and dealt with in accordance with the law.

Mr Jere said the 2022 Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution had placed a legal burden on all stakeholders in the electoral process, especially the NIS.

He directed divisional immigration officers across the 774 local government areas to deepen surveillance and engagements with migrant communities to ensure that no migrant gets involved in the elections. 

(NAN)