The alarming rate at which Nigerians are fleeing the country in quest of better opportunities overseas has been noted as a “worrisome phenomena” by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
This was said by Mr. Joachim Olumba, the Enugu State Comptroller of Immigration Service (NIS), on Thursday, November 4, during a campaign to educate stakeholders in Enugu State on the issue of migrant smuggling (SOM).
According to PM News, he said: “Indeed, this program couldn’t have been held at a more appropriate time, considering the alarming rate at which, not only the youth, but older generation of Nigerians exhibit interest to leave the country.
“This is creating a worrisome phenomenon which has come to be popularly known in local parlance as Japa.”
He claimed that social, economic, and security issues were typically the main factors influencing people’s desire to leave the country. In addition, a lot of Nigerians, particularly the young, were fleeing the nation’s borders.
“To many, what is paramount is to achieve the goal of migrating from the country and not the means of reaching their destinations. Whether they are smuggled or trafficked, or they even get to leave the country by means of a stowaway, does not really matter to them.
“The ultimate interest is to relocate to foreign lands. As far as the vast majority are concerned, the end will eventually justify the means,” he added.
