The International Organization for Migration Nigeria Chief of Mission, Laurent De Boeck says Kano State has overtaken Edo State as the center of Irregular migration from Nigeria.
“What we see is the new trend is that people from Kano, we see it because we are returning people from Kano,” De Boeck said on Nigeria info’s “What’s up Lagos.”
He disclosed that people are being returned in “charters” which has led to conversations with the government on how to “receive them, to reintegrate them, and really interact with the society.”
The IOM chief explained the difference between smuggling and trafficking. In smuggling, “you must have a border to cross” whereas trafficking is not “necessarily crossing a border, it can be trafficking within your own country from one region to another,” he clarified.
He however noted that exploitation was at the heart of smuggling and trafficking.
De Boeck advised Nigerians planning to relocate due to work to look at the contract and verify that the company offering the job exists before leaving.
“It’s very basic but people are promised just come here, pay your ticket yourself, get your visa yourself, and then upon arrival, there is no contract.
“They would say ‘I need your passport to finalize your contract.’ The basic is: never give your passport,” he said.
