The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its zero tolerance for illegal migration, pledging to shield its citizens from the scourge of modern-day slavery.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Migration, Homeland and Security, Mr. Segun Adegoke, disclosed this in Ibadan on Friday while addressing the media after the inaugural meeting of the Oyo State Reintegration Committee.
According to Adegoke, the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde set up the committee as a deliberate measure to discourage illegal migration and address the reintegration needs of returnees.
“We don’t want our citizens to suffer another form of slavery, so we are encouraging youths not to ‘japa’ through illegal means like through the desert,” Adegoke said.
He explained that the committee was inaugurated by the South-West Coordinator of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and it is aligned with national frameworks, specifically, Section 7 of the NCFRMI Act of 2021 and Section 7:2 of the National Migration Policy 2015.
“The committee, basically, is to handle all matters concerning the reintegration of returnees, concerning migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons in Oyo State. So, it is part of the national migration architecture of Nigeria,” he added.
Adegoke commended Governor Makinde’s foresight in establishing the Office of Migration and Homeland Security, the first of its kind in Nigeria and noted that it further demonstrates the administration’s commitment to addressing migration-related challenges.
Highlighting an ongoing empowerment project, Adegoke revealed that the state government has allocated 10,000 hectares of land in Iganna, Itesiwaju Local Government Area, for a youth-focused reintegration programme.
The project is sponsored by the National Centre for Migration Policy in collaboration with a European Union-backed organisation and funded by the Danish Government.
“The land has been provided at Iganna, in Itesiwaju Local Government Area, under the coordination of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons. This committee will now be part of the steering committee to ensure that the project succeeds and guarantees that 18 per cent of the beneficiaries are indigenes from the Itesiwaju/Iwajowa axis,” he stated.
“So, we will ensure that only bona fide Oyo State returnees and youths benefit from the project.”
He also disclosed that beneficiaries would undergo training in mechanised farming, receive financial support, and have access to ready markets for their produce.
“The governor has also made it clear that the beneficiaries of the project will be trained on mechanised farming practices, and funds will be provided to them, with assurance of available markets for their products,” Adegoke said.
Describing the initiative as a game-changer for the state, Adegoke emphasized that it would boost local economies, discourage irregular migration, and provide sustainable livelihoods for young people.
“The project will also curb illegal migration through the desert, because youths will be engaged in agricultural activities that are beneficial,” he added.