Service impounds 130 PVCs from illegal immigrants, repatriates 278 in Katsina

 THE Katsina State command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said it had impounded 130 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from irregular immigrants in the country.

Mr Emmanuel Ogbumuo, the State Comptroller of the service, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Katsina on Thursday.

“The operatives of the service have also recovered 150 National ID Cards from non-Nigerians and repatriated 278 illegal immigrants since January’’, Ogbumuo added.

He explained that the service took the action to prevent illegal immigrants from participating in the forthcoming general elections.

He said that 270 of the irregular immigrants were from Niger Republic, while the remaining eight came from Cameroun.

Ogbumuo said that the illegal aliens without valid traveling documents were apprehended in various parts of the state.

The comptroller revealed that the command had 14 check points and seven control posts across the state.

Ogbumuo disclosed that NIS would soon embark on a mop up in the 34 local government areas of the state with a view to apprehending more irregular immigrants.

He said they had a meeting with the officials of foreign nationals and advised them to call on their members not to participate in the forthcoming elections.

“We have informed them that the forthcoming elections are only meant for Nigerians and has nothing to do with foreign nationals in the country’’, he said.

The comptroller revealed that the immigration officers and men had a good relationship with the border communities and traditional rulers as it would assist them to discharge their duties effectively.

He called on the Comptroller-General of the service to provide more vehicles for effective patrol of the state.

Ogbumuo also commended the Comptroller-General for training and retraining border patrol officers who work round the clock. (NAN)