The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has recovered 2,393 Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) from some immigrants in 21 border states across the country.
Isa Jere, the controller general of NIS announced this on Wednesday at a retreat for top management staff of the service, in Abuja.
According to Jere, 3,823 national identity cards and 2,393 voter cards unlawfully possessed by immigrants were seized.
The NIC had held the retreat and operational briefing as part of preparations for the forthcoming polls.
The controller stated that the above documents were intercepted in Nasarawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Yobe, Kwara, Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Zamfara, Jigawa, Edo, Bauchi, Niger, and three other states.
Jere affirmed the ongoing operation was to ensure that immigrants from neighbouring countries did not participate in the forthcoming general elections.
The commandant general warned that stiff sanctions await any immigrant who attempted to participate in the nation’s electoral process.
He stated the arrested culprits had since been returned to their countries in line with ECOWAS protocol on free movement.
Jere hence urged all immigration personnel to remain vigilant in the February 25 and March 11 elections.
He warned that those caught compromising their duties would be treated as saboteurs and dealt with following the law.
Jere stated that the 2022 Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution had placed a legal burden on all stakeholders in the electoral process, especially the NIS.
The NIC commander also directed divisional immigration officers across the 774 local government areas to be alert that no migrant gets involved in forthcoming elections.
