Nigeria to Use AI for Crackdown on Irregular Migrants

The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to initiate a nationwide crackdown on irregular migrants, utilizing an artificial intelligence-driven tracking system capable of monitoring travel and entry into Nigeria over the past decade. This announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during a sector performance review retreat in Abuja on Thursday.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will establish an integrated operational center that provides access to travel records for the last ten years. The minister emphasized the importance of protecting Nigeria's borders and ensuring national security.

He also highlighted the need for specialized security services to operate transparently and fairly, allowing citizens to access protection without needing connections to top officials. Dr. Tunji-Ojo noted the progress made in capturing citizen data to support national security efforts and warned agency heads about the consequences of failing to meet performance targets.

He called for major reforms to address systemic issues and reduce repeat offenses among individuals returned to custody.