The Oxford English Dictionary has defined Migration as the movement of people from one place to another, which can either be within a country or between countries.
According to migration experts, migration can either be permanent, temporary or seasonal. They add that migration happens for a range of reasons, but not limited to economic, social, political or environmental.
They identified the ‘Push’ and ‘Pull’ factors as major cause of migration. According to them, the push factors are those that encourage a population to leave its home while the pull factors are those that draw a population to another area or place.
In simple language, the desire for economic emancipation by most migrants has been mostly identified as the pull factor.
However, international immigration laws continue to hinder easy migration leading to increased level of irregular migration which has become a global concern.
Experts explained that desperation to achieve the desired goal of either economic or political emancipation, was responsible for the high level of activity of irregular migrants.
Recently, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the Libyan Coast Guard rescued and returned some 250 irregular migrants to Libya.
The UNHCR had tweeted “some 250 persons returned to Tripoli after being rescued/intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guards.
“UNHCR and partner IRC are on the ground providing medical care and humanitarian aid.’’
Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Irregular migrants, unaware of the many risks that await them along the routes to their desired country of destination, continued to put their lives at risk in their quest for greener pastures.
Research shows that in spite of the fact that countries have continue to tighten security at their borders, the level of activities of irregular migrants have remained high.
Here in Nigeria, the Federal Government said it was worried about irregular migration. It said unlike in Europe, the issue was not people coming in, but Nigerians leaving the country.
And to mitigate this, the federal government enacted new laws to checkmate the trend.
Speaking on the worrisome phenomenon, Mr. Mohammed Babandede, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service(NIS), said “Nigeria has demonstrated it is committed to the fight against the smuggling of migrants.
He said “we are aware that a lot of our citizens are dying in the desert and the sea.
“The government believes that only harsh measures will stop the dying. Accordingly, the new regulations include severe punishment for illegal migration.
“The old immigration law from 1963 established only modest fines of less than one euro ($1.08). New fines for infractions can go up to 3,000 euros ($2,800).
“Prison sentences for serious violations of the immigration law will be much longer than in the past.
“Nigeria is one of the main countries of origin of illegal migration. In the last year alone, around 30,000 undocumented Nigerians crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.
“Hundreds die each year attempting to reach the continent. Human trafficking has tarnished Nigeria’s reputation around the globe.
“Current estimates point to more than 10,000 Nigerian women forced to prostitute themselves in Europe.
“Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari believes these numbers are a blight on his country’s reputation and has called for a coordinated strategy to fight smugglers and human traffickers.
Determined to reduce the incidences of irregular migration and create safe haven for would-be migrants, the International Organisation for Migration( IOM), recently held a training session for Editors and media executives in Abuja.
At the opening of the three-day training, IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria,Mr Frantz Celetine, said his organisation decided to partner the media because of their very crucial roles to getting the right messages across to the right people.
Celetin said the decision for the training was for deeper collaboration with media outfits and practitioners in disseminating the right information on migration.
The IOM chief pointed out that it was unlikely for its target audience to get information from official reports, hence the important role of the media.
He, therefore, called on the media to get directly involved in the work of IOM to help address issues of migration in Nigeria.
“IOM would like to use this dialogue to facilitate your direct involvement in the dissemination of credible information on migration in support of its efforts to ensure orderly, dignified, and safe migration.
“Maintaining good media relation is indispensable and contribute to IOM’s daily work.
“IOM will continue to work with you to shed light on the plight of the people, and the often-hidden opportunities that arise from migration.
“Governments, migrants, potential migrants, and average citizens are much more likely to hear about IOM’s work through the media than through official reports.
“IOM is committed to working with journalists who will act as conduits of the organisation’s message,” he said.
Celestin described the media as a very relevant part of all aspects of human endeavour, including promoting issues of safe and regular migration as well as discourage irregular migration.
He expressed great conviction that with the support of the media some of the challenges faced by migrants, returnees, internally displaced persons and refugees could be addressed.
Accordingnto him, the media “holds” the key to addressing other such issues such as stigmatisation, harassment, misinformation, and vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.
Giving insights into the work of the IOM, he said that the mission in Nigeria “focuses on three broad pillars: Migration Data Collection and Management, Preparedness, Response, Transition and Recovery, as well as Facilitated Migration and Migration Management.
“Under our facilitated and migration management pillar, we work with the government to promote orderly and humane migration management.
“IOM supports the Federal Government through Migrant Protection Assistance programming, Labour Mobility and human development, Migration health, and Policy frameworks and coordination.
“IOM has supported the return of over 22,000 Nigerian migrants since 2017 and reintegrated over 11,000 migrants in the country,” he said.
Celestin added that between January and May 2021, almost 20,000 migrants benefited from IOM’s health assessments before travelling to various countries.
He also pointed out that IOM introduced the Migration Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS) in Nigeria to strengthen the federal government’s ability to process individuals’ identities when entering or exiting.
He added that MIDAS had been installed at 32 locations, 14 land borders, four seaports, eight state commands, the NIS Headquarters, and five international airports.
He said that the IOM had series of activities ongoing, stressing that without the media, such activities could happen unnoticed.
Some of the issues discussed during the training sessions included : Reporting Migration: terminologies, Human rights, migration and the media, media ethics: data protection, overview of trafficking in persons in Nigeria,; mental health and psychosocial support .
Others were environment and climate change, migration and COVID-19: challenges and the role of the media in countering misinformation.
Participants, who were drawn from the broadcast, print and online media, lauded IOM for the training, saying they had become more knowledgeable about so many issues on migration.
According to them, the training espoused them to so many age-long wrong usage of certain terminologies when reporting migration such as ‘illegal migrants’ which is judgmental instead of ‘irregular migrants’ being most appropriate.
They mentioned some other wrong expressions on migration to include use of ‘trafficking’ for ‘smuggling’ or vice versa, victims instead of survivours and such other harmful words which offend humanity.
Mrs. Bimbo Oyetunde, General Manager, Bronze FM Benin, said ” the training was insightful and refreshing. As gate keeper of my station, the several topics taught have enriched my knowledge on migration and the lessons taken away will help me change the old narrative on migration reportage.
Mr Ufuoma Egbamuno, news manager, Cool fm, who described the training as excellent said ” it was an eye opener for me as it has changed my view point on migration reportage.
” By this training, i am now better informed on how to pen migration stories without offending humanity. I will henceforth learn to give migrants, especially irregular migrants a voice away from the old stereotype way of headling migration stories,” he said.
For Mrs Huawa Bata, Controller news, Radio Nigeria/ Peace FM, Maiduguri, the training has made her take a resolution for the creation of migration desk in her station to improve reportage on migration issues like never before.
All in all, IOM’s Project Assistant , Mr Elijah Elaigwu ,expressed optimism that ” after this training, my organisation is hopeful that we will begin to experience more of dignified and safe migration among migrants.
