The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nigeria, has ranked Nigeria among the highest in the rate of irregular migration, saying that 70,000 irregular migrants have been returned to the country since it started operation in Nigeria in 2001.

The Deputy Director General, Operations at IOM, Ugochi Florence Daniels, revealed this when she paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at her Abuja office.

A statement signed by Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, quoted Daniels as saying that about 27,000 of them have been reintegrated into the society through its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (AVRR) within the period.

She reassured that the Organisation was dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for all migrants and accelerating the transformative initiatives to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

“We have a very comprehensive intervention in Nigeria. We count on your continued support for the work of IOM in Nigeria,” she said.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, reiterated the federal government’s readiness to forge better collaboration with IOM in tackling the migration crisis, especially irregular migration.

She blamed the increasing spate of irregular migration, especially among the youths, on the myth of pursuing ‘greener pasture’ abroad, saying that the government sustained a campaign to dispel the myth.

Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that Diaspora is one of the major pillars of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foreign policy approach, comprising Democracy, Demography, Diaspora and Development, otherwise christened 4-Ds.

She highlighted the government’s focus on citizen diplomacy, adding that diaspora plays a very important role in the nation’s economy by driving development.

Highlighting the contributions of millions of Nigerian migrants in diaspora, the minister equally emphasised the need for IOM to promote positive narratives on migration.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, therefore, acknowledged the longstanding cooperation between Nigeria and IOM in addressing concerns relating to vulnerable migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), while applauding IOM’s strategic direction to save lives, protect people on the move, and drive solutions to displacement and facilitate pathways for regular migration.

The minister further acknowledged the recent assistance by IOM in responding to the severe displacement due to flooding in some parts of the country, especially Niger State where it deployed a rapid response team to support data collection, conduct initial damage assessment and provide emergency shelter kits and non-food items packages to support up 1000 most vulnerable families.

In view of the financial challenges currently facing the Organisation, the minister highlighted the need to initiate and execute programmes that address existential needs of persons of concern to IOM, in line with national priorities.

Disclosing that the government was taking necessary measures to fulfill its financial obligation to IOM, she urged the Organisation to ensure harmonisation of activities with Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other International Organisations.

She, then, urged that the body leverage its global status to engender novel financial partnership from non-traditional donors.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu further said that as part of the UN80 Reform Initiative, Nigeria was willing to host International Organisations/UN Operations that are relocating from Geneva or New York.

Currently, IOM Nigeria is implementing a programme titled: “Promoting Better Management of Migration in Nigeria” (PBMM), funded by the European Union to assist the government in the areas of managing irregular migration through immigration and border management, migration data, policy and labour migration and diaspora mobilization. (Vanguard)