No fewer than 1,100 Nigerian migrants arrived in Kano State from Agadez, Niger Republic, by road, the Nigeria Immigration Service confirmed on Friday.
The returnees entered Nigeria through coordinated movement supported by multiple agencies, according to immigration officials.
Agencies Begin Processing and Documentation
Commandant of the Immigration Training School, Kano, Anthony Akuneme, confirmed the arrival and said agencies immediately began documentation and profiling.
He said officials deployed the Migration Information and Data Analysis System to register the returnees at the Migrants Arrival, Knowledge and Information Area.
The migrants later moved to the International Transit and Stay of Knowledge centre for final profiling, counselling, and reintegration support.
“Personnel of KNSC, MAKIA and ITSK are fully on ground with other relevant federal and state agencies to ensure hitch-free and safe processing,” Akuneme said.
Government Activates Reintegration Framework
Immigration officials said several agencies now coordinate the reintegration process for the returnees.
These include the Nigeria Immigration Service, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the International Organisation for Migration, and relevant state government bodies.
Authorities said the system aims to reconnect returnees with their families and support their reintegration into society.
Agadez Remains Key Migration Route
Officials linked the return movement to ongoing migration patterns from Agadez, a major transit hub in northern Niger Republic.
For years, migrants have used the route to reach Libya and attempt dangerous crossings into Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.
Agadez recorded heavy migration flows between 2015 and 2018 before Niger introduced anti-smuggling laws under international pressure.
The policy reduced formal transit activity but did not completely stop irregular migration through the corridor.
Regional Instability Affects Migration Flow
Security changes in Niger following the July 2023 coup also disrupted migration management systems across the Sahel region.
The political crisis led to the withdrawal of French and United States forces that previously supported regional security operations.
According to the International Organisation for Migration, irregular movements along the corridor have increased again in recent months.
Nigerians Form Large Share of Returnees
Migration agencies reported that Nigerians remain one of the largest groups among returnees from the Agadez route.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that 269,010 Nigerians who fled conflict in the North-East currently reside in Niger’s Diffa region.
The International Organisation for Migration also said it has facilitated voluntary return programmes for thousands of stranded Nigerians since 2017.
Officials noted that many returnees are young men from northern states who initially aimed to reach Europe but later became stranded due to lack of funds, detention, or collapsed smuggling networks.
