From Nsa Gill, Calabar
In line with the lockdown and total closure of the land, sea and air borders by the Federal Government, 13 persons have been intercepted en route Cameroun in an attempt to defy the order, using the waterways.
Cross River State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed this yesterday to reporters at the Ikang border in Bakassi Local Government Area during an inspection exercise to the border post.
The state Comptroller of the Immigration Service, Okey Ezugwu, who made the disclosure, noted that of the 13 arrests, nine are Cameroonians and four are Nigerians.
“They were arrested at the Mfum border post in Etung and Ikang border post in Bakassi Local Government.”
The Mfum and Ikang border posts have Nigeria bounded with Cameroon within Cross River State.
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Ezugwu said the suspects were arrested by officials of the NIS on patrol across the border areas in the state at the early hours last Thursday, adding that the arrest was effected when the suspects were trying to find their way through the waterways to enter the country.
“They were arrested for illegal migration through the waterways and for going against the Federal Government stay at home order,” the Immigration chief said.
Ezugwu, who led the NIS patrol team to major riverine border areas in Southern part of Cross River State, called on the traditional rulers and youth leaders to adhere to Federal Government’s directives on border closure.
He said the inspection of border exercise was a “Show of Force Enforcement on Border Closure”, adding that the show of force inspection to border formations was to ensure total compliance with the Federal Government order on border closure in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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