At the recent 2024 Immigration Law and Policy Conference organized by the Nigerian Immigration Lawyers Association (NILA) at the Janada International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (JICAM), Dr. Okey James Ezugwu, a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of Immigration Service and Founder/Executive Director of the Asylum and Refugee Rights Advocacy Foundation (ARRA), delivered a compelling presentation on the challenges faced by Nigerian border communities under current immigration laws.
The theme for the conference was “New Realities in the Nigerian Immigration Law and Policy Stratosphere.”
In his paper titled “Nigeria Immigration Law and the Dilemma of the Border Communities,” Dr. Ezugwu highlighted the adverse effects of stringent immigration policies on border communities. He emphasized that these communities, which rely heavily on trans-border relations for their socio-cultural, socio-economic, and social integration, are suffering due to the blanket application of immigration laws.
Dr. Ezugwu pointed out that the rigid enforcement of these policies has led to resistance, economic setbacks, loss of livelihoods, cultural erosion, and unhealthy rivalries between border communities and authorities. He argued that a more balanced approach to immigration enforcement is necessary, one that considers the unique circumstances of border communities while maintaining ethical standards in policy implementation.
“In addressing these challenges,” Dr. Ezugwu stated, “it is imperative to adopt a balanced immigration enforcement strategy that will take into consideration the concerns of the border communities while enforcing immigration laws and policies in an ethical manner.”
He proposed several recommendations aimed at improving the situation for border communities. These recommendations, if implemented, could foster economic prosperity, guarantee cultural preservation, and resolve the ongoing dilemmas faced by these communities.
Dr. Ezugwu elaborated on the cultural and social ties that bind border communities in Nigeria. He noted that these communities are interconnected through family ties, religion, ethnic commonalities, and shared customs and traditions that extend across borders. For many residents, trans-border movements are a natural extension of their socio-cultural lives rather than international relations.
He provided examples to illustrate his points, such as the border communities in Katsina State, Nigeria, which have familial ties with neighboring communities in Niger due to long-standing interactions through trade and inter-marriage.
This is just as there are the Ejagam people of Cross River State Nigeria and Ejagam Cameron as well as the Boki of Nigeria and Boki people of Cameroun.
Similarly, the Yoruba communities in Lagos State share linguistic and cultural similarities with those along the Nigerian-Benin borders, fostering trans-border cohesion.
Dr. Ezugwu also highlighted the economic exchanges facilitated by these kinship ties, where relatives assist each other with goods and services that are more readily available in one country than the other. However, he noted that these trans-border visits often conflict with Nigerian immigration policies, which require formal processes and documentation, creating barriers for residents of border communities.
“Another component that unites these trans-border communities is religion, with some of these communities being adherents to either the Islamic or Christian faith,” Dr. Ezugwu added.
In conclusion, Dr. Ezugwu called for a reconsideration of immigration policies to better accommodate the unique needs of border communities, ensuring that these policies do not hinder their socio-cultural and economic well-being. His presentation at the NILA conference has sparked important discussions on the need for more nuanced and community-sensitive immigration laws in Nigeria.
