Kwara moves to tighten border surveillance over illegal migration, trafficking

The Kwara State Government has said it will strengthen collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies to tighten border surveillance and curb illegal migration, human trafficking and insecurity in the state.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Sulyman, disclosed this during separate visits to the Kwara State commands of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Ilorin.

The visits were contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Press Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Justice, Janet Bogunjoko, as the state prepares to commemorate the 2026 World Day Against Human Trafficking on July 30.

Sulyman, who is also Chairman of the Kwara State Task Force on Human Trafficking, said the engagement was aimed at strengthening cooperation among security agencies to address insecurity and combat human trafficking.

Represented by the Director of the Gender-Based Violence Response Unit of the Ministry of Justice and Secretary of the task force, Funke Balogun, the commissioner said the theme of this year’s commemoration is, “Trapped Behind the Scam.”

He expressed concern over the influx of irregular migrants into the state without proper profiling, describing the development as a growing security threat.

According to him, irregular migration is linked to the emergence of security challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping and banditry, in the state.

“This irregular migration is not unconnected with the issue of terrorism, kidnapping and banditry that found their ways into our state. Before now, Kwara State has been a very peaceful state,” he said.

Sulyman acknowledged the constitutional right of Nigerians to live in any part of the country but stressed the need for migrants entering Kwara to have legitimate reasons for their presence.

“No Nigerian can be denied the right of living in any state of their choice, but every migrant into the state must come with a purpose,” he added.

The commissioner said addressing insecurity in the state would require improved data collection, tracking and proper profiling of migrants through stronger coordination among security agencies at the borders and across the state.

“Finding a solution to the state’s insecurity challenges begins with checking illegal migration of people into Kwara State through data tracking and proper profiling, which can be achieved through collaborative efforts with appropriate authorities both at the state borders and in their different offices across the state,” he said.

Sulyman urged the NIS, NSCDC and other security agencies to support the state government’s efforts to combat human trafficking, describing the fight as challenging but necessary.

The Kwara State Coordinator of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour, Olufemi Oyedeji, also called for decisive action against human trafficking, noting that women and girls remain particularly vulnerable.

Responding, the Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kwara State Command, Hussain Ibrahim, represented by the Deputy Comptroller, Saka Jimoh, pledged the command’s support for the state task force through logistics and other necessary assistance in the fight against human trafficking.

Jimoh urged the task force to extend its sensitisation campaigns to markets and religious centres to educate residents about the tactics used by traffickers and help prevent people from falling victim.

The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kwara State, Abbas Mohammed, also pledged the corps’ continued support for the task force.

Mohammed said the NSCDC would strengthen collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service at the state’s borders to prevent human trafficking and improve security across Kwara.