Federal Government has announced a comprehensive nationwide effort to address irregular migration, supported by a new AI-driven tracking system that monitors all travellers entering the country over the past decade.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known at the ongoing 2026 Sectoral Performance Review Retreat of the ministry, themed ‘Accountable Leadership, Measurable Impact, Reviewing Commitment’, yesterday in Abuja.

The minister said: “We now possess the data to identify and locate those who have overstayed their visas. With our Integrated Operations Centre and Network Operations Centre, we can access information on everyone who has entered the country in the last 10 years.”

Tunji-Ojo described the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as transitioning into “an internal security enabler and a protector and the guardian of our border space.”

Addressing the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on the newly introduced VIP security service, the minister called for the democratisation of specialised security services, emphasising that VIP protection should be corruption-free and that any citizen facing threats should be able to receive protection without personal connections.

The minister also raised concerns about the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), stating that while progress had been made in data collection, partial success was not enough for national security.

He urged the commission’s leadership to ensure comprehensive data capture of all Nigerians, saying: “Not until every Nigerian has been captured can we say we have succeeded”.

Reiterating his zeal to meet set targets, Tunji-Ojo stated that, despite the forthcoming political season, the ministry would remain focused on its security objectives.

Magdalene Ajani highlighted the importance of accountability in the ministry.

MEANWHILE, efforts to curb human trafficking in Nigeria are being hampered by the slow dispensation of justice, weak victims’ witness protection systems, and insufficient political will, the Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned.

The Zonal Commander, Mr Sam Offiah, raised the concerns during a three-day capacity-building workshop for civil society organisations held in Asaba, Delta State, where stakeholders gathered to review strategies to prevent trafficking in persons and respond to violence against vulnerable groups.

Offiah said the systemic bottlenecks continue to frustrate efforts to bring traffickers to justice, even as the country grapples with persistent cases of exploitation of women and children.

Despite the challenges, the NAPTIP chief reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to its core mandate of preventing trafficking, protecting victims and prosecuting offenders.

Offiah urged schools and communities to intensify sensitisation campaigns, noting that traffickers increasingly target school-age children through deceptive recruitment strategies.

The Project Manager for STEAP at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, Rhoda Dia-Johnson, described civil society organisations as critical frontline actors in preventing trafficking.