PRAWA launched the first stage of Illegal Migration Awareness Project I-MAP in Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja, Enugu and Lagos States of Nigeria with the support of British High Commission and in collaborations with Alternative to Violence, M-Power, Nigerian Immigration Service NIS and National Youth Service Corps NYSC. This stage of I-MAP execution, as conceived, entails the introduction of participants to the project and training of Youth Peer Educators.

Enugu [10th – 14th September, 2012]
The Enugu workshop had in attendance representatives of the Enugu State Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development, Nigerian Immigration Service, British High Commission, and the media. 32 peer-educators participated in the training workshop, made up of 11 females and 21 males.

PRAWA I-MAP Lead in Enugu; Godwin Ugbor, said that the project was borne out of the need to abate the negative consequences of illegal migration, noting that youths make up a high percentage of illegal migrants from Nigeria, and to successfully address this negative trend, it is imperative to change the perception of young people.

The Executive Director of PRAWA Dr. Uju Agomoh in her introduction of the project observed that Nigeria with about 150 million people constitute one quarter of the population of Africa and more than half of the population of West Africa. She noted that the country has the highest number of asylum seekers and foreign nationals in many prisons in the United Kingdom and other European countries and cited instances which show that Nigeria constitutes the second highest number of foreign nationals in British prisons. In her words; “since PRAWA has been working in the areas of Security and Justice, Social Development and Rehabilitation etc. these cater for prisoners’ welfare and rights among other things. It’s therefore wise we stop the Nigerian Youths from going to prisons before we think about rehabilitating them”

She lamented the negative impression on Nigerian’s image which such trends have caused adding that Nigerians travelling for genuine purposes now receive very bad treatment from customs and immigration departments of foreign countries. She said that such also have severe implications to both the individual perpetrators and the nation in general. I-MAP according to Dr. Agomoh was conceived by youths with an overall purpose ‘To Increase the Awareness of Nigerian Youths on the Effects of Illegal Migration and Positive Life Planning Skills. While noting that the project is being anchored by the Social Development Rehabilitation unit of PRAWA and drew a linkage of the project to other programmes of PRAWA.

The indicators of success for the project include:

• Increased knowledge of Nigerian youths on the effects of illegal migration.
• Increase in the number of youths involved in advocating for and supporting prevention of illegal migration among Nigerians.
• Increase in the number of Nigerian Youths trained on positive life planning skills including career guidance and alternatives to violence skills.

Dr. Agomoh said that the project outputs will include: Training of 100 youths trained as peer-educators on Effects of Illegal Migration and Life Planning Skills including career guidance and alternative to violence and crime, Sensitization of 3000 Nigerian youths on the Effects of Illegal Migration and Life Planning Skills through community and youth support groups. Additional 500 youths to be closely followed-up and Establishment of a sustainable and community-based youth platform (clubs/network) for implementing follow-up youth sensitization on Effects of Illegal Migration and Life Planning Skills in three locations (Enugu, Lagos and Abuja)

The Enugu State Commissioner for Gender Affair and Social Development Mrs. Ndidi Chukwu represented by Mr. Romanus Obayi, noted that the ministry has the responsibility of training and assigning counselors to secondary schools in the state to stop the negative vices among the youths. She pledged the support of her Ministry to the project.

The Comptroller of Nigerian Immigration Service, Enugu State Command represented by Mr. Okoli Amaechi spoke on the ‘Effects of Illegal Migration’. He outlined several factors that cause illegal migration in Nigeria to include: economic, cultural, political and academic pursuits. According to Mr. Okoli, the statistics of illegal migration indicated huge involvement of Nigerian youths. He listed the consequences to include imprisonment, death, loss of resources, negative image for the country, forced prostitution, diseases including AIDS and HIV, etc.

He advised that the government should use political power to address the high rate of unemployment, and poverty since they fuel illegal migration adding that rejuvenation of the education system and standard in Nigeria will go a long way to reducing the trend. Mr. Okoli also reiterated the role of the Nigerian Immigration Service in combating illegal migration activities in Nigeria.

Yvonne Onabolu, Project Officer, Migration Policy of the British High Commission (BHC), Abuja thanked PRAWA for the project. She disclosed her Commission is aware of the problem of illegal migration and hence their determination to address the situation through initiatives such as I-MAP. She said that it is erroneous impression among Nigerians to think that the British government does not want Nigerians to migrate to the UK, disclosing that Nigerians with genuine reasons and documents to travel to the UK have continued to enjoy the support of the British High Commission in Nigeria.

Onabolu said in 2011 alone, 170,000 Nigerians successfully applied for and were granted visa to the UK while about 100,000 others applied for and were not granted visa. She stressed that it takes 15 working days to access visa in UK embassy for first timers, and 1 week for old visitors. She noted that United Kingdom places emphasis on ‘managed migration’ and explained further that migration to the UK is adequately monitored and managed by the UK government.

The 3 day training which attracted 32 participants, accommodated series of skills in group works and networking, life planning and alternative to violence. The Peer Educators were later presented with working tools and certificates of participation.

Abuja [3rd – 6th September, 2012]
Declaring the event open Controller-General of Nigerian Immigration Services Mrs. Rose Uzoma who was represented at by Deputy Controller of Immigration in charge of Illegal Migrations Mr. Mohammed Babandede charged the participants not to fall prey to dubious Nigerians who may come and sweet-talk them that it is all rosy in foreign countries especially in UK. He reiterated that the essence of the project is to expose them to the several dangers of illegal migration. He advised them to seek to travel if necessary through the legal procedures instituted by the Nigerian Immigration Service.

According to Mr. Babandede, travelling to foreign countries is not bad in itself because the world socio-economical and political environment permits migration and immigration, but it is necessary that people engage in either venture with very clear understanding of what they are going into to avoid regrets after. He said the watchword is “be aware before you embark on the journey” He shared the sad stories of Nigerians who in desperate bid to travel to United Kingdom gave up all they had in Nigeria and traveled with irregular papers and ended up in Prisons.

Mr. Tom Adams the Political Secretary on Migrations at the British High Commission Nigeria represented at the event by Ivonne Onabolu said the key word is “know before you travel”. She said that migration abroad is not bad in itself but the message is that Nigerians should travel with legal and regular travelling documents to avoid ugly experiences.

Onabolu said that unlike most young Nigerians think, the United Kingdom government has put in place very efficient system to identify all illegal migrants into the country. She admonished Nigerian youth to avoid falling prey of deviants and criminal minded people who push them into believing that they can travel to United Kingdom especially with fake travelling documents.

She urged Nigerians to use available technology of internet to find out information regarding any country they intend to visit instead of depending of fake information crooked minded people peddle in order to push ignorant Nigerians into their traps. They are only after taking your money and leave you to suffer the consequences thereafter.

Lagos [28th – 31st August, 2012]

The Illegal Migration Awareness Project (IMAP) Lagos workshop which hosted 22 participants started on August 28 and ended on August 31, 2012. The participants were students of tertiary institutions, fresh graduates, serving Youth Corps members and students. The first half of the workshop centered on the broad themes of “Effects of Illegal Migration” and “Life Planning Skills”, while the remaining half was used to equip participants on Alternative to Violence skills.

Kate Ibeanusi, Senior Programme Officer and Head; PRAWA Lagos Office introduced the programme. Professor Chiso Okafor, member PRAWA Board of Trustees gave the opening remarks and shared her 30 years personal experience living abroad with the participants.

The Executive Director of PRAWA Dr. Uju Agomoh the major objective of the workshop was to present a holistic picture of current migration issues faced by the Nigerian state. According to her, the project aims at connecting with about 3000 Nigerian youths by the end of 2012 through community outreach programmes this include a youth concert in November 2012. The IMAP project is anchored by the PRAWA Social Development and Rehabilitation unit (SDR) in collaboration with other PRAWA departments. “I-MAP was conceptualized of the youths for the youths by the youths” she said.

Concluding, Dr. Agomoh talked about the immense potentials of the IMAP project and the opportunities it will provide volunteers to not only to save the nation’s image by reducing the rate of illegal migration, but to also showcase themselves.
The Provincial Youth Coordinator of the Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG in Lagos Barrister Kola Sogelola bemoaned the negative Nigerian international image and urged the participants to put their best into the vision of the IMAP project because he foresaw a future where the world, after seeing how Nigerian youths transformed their nation, would come to them for solutions to global issues.

The training accommodated all the modules on: Effects of Illegal Migration, Life Planning Skills and Alternative to violence.