The National Joint Security Committee (NJSC), on Monday, September 8, 2025, announced that 105 foreign nationals were repatriated between July 1, and August 30, 2025.
This was as it also revealed that sequential interdictions from July 19 to 29in Abuja and Plateau through Aug 2 to 14, led to the seizure of ammunitions, grenades, fabricated rifles and the arrests of suspected kidnap mastermind of the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Bingham University, Abuja.
Chairman of the NJSC and Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu, who announced these at the 2nd monthly National Joint Security press briefing, also said that in the same vein, 368 Nigerians were deported during the same period.
He also announced that a female arms trafficker in Zamfara State was arrested with 300 rounds, in addition to the arrest of leaders of Ansaru & Mahmuda groups while a lecturer in Taraba State was successfully rescued unharmed.
Issa-Onilu further announced that 50 victims of trafficking were intercepted, just as five stowaways were equally intercepted while three Chinese without valid visas were denied entry into the country.
The National Joint Security Committee also said that 10,803 visas were approved in August with targeted rejections and queries.
Issa-Onilu specifically said that in line with the presidential directive, border security now blends smarter screening, human rights-based management and survivor centered protection, emphasising that any rescued victim is a life put back on track and a smuggler put out of communities’ members that are called upon to report smuggling recruiters.
While evaluating key statistics and outcomes in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Issa-Onilu, said there were 588 convictions; N21.06bn foreign currencies recovered.
Similarly, he said that the ICPC recovered N5.5 billion $368,390.95 that were returned to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); adding that six ACTUS were established in MDAS while nine Students’ Anti-Corruption Vanguards were established with two convictions recorded.
In the words of Issa-Onilu; “Enforcement is paired with preventive systems in MDAs and civic education in schools to tackle the menace of corruption. It should be noted that this government is recovering funds, reforming systems, and raising a generation that rejects graft.
“The public should continue to use whistleblowing channels; MDAs should empower ACTUS; schools should join Citizens Values Brigades being established by the NOA.
“It is in this vein that I call upon the public to continue to report suspicious movements, especially in transit corridors (roads/parks), to hotlines and to share verified updates from official channels.
“It is important to note that Intelligence fusion is breaking supply chains and leadership nodes of criminal groups. I want to underscore the point that when intelligence meets joint action, kidnap syndicates and gun-running pipelines fail.
“This is a core component of the current strategy being deployed to degrade our country’s enemies and keep Citizens safe.
“I urge communities to keep reporting arms movements around their communities and ransom-linked cash flows as they play their own roles in securing our country.
“As directed by the National Security Adviser, and also in line with our mandate of communicating government activities, the NOA will keep translating complex cases and the tactical/ strategic actions of our security and response agencies into easy public updates so that members of the public will have a better understanding of the efforts that government is making to keep our country safe,” he said.
Commenting on police enforcement, Issa-Onilu said 210 operations were carried out within the period with 1,950 arrests, while 37 gangs were dismantled.
He also said that 141 kidnap victims were rescued while 111 firearms and 48 explosives were recovered just as N250.74m cash was seized.
The NOA DG said that in the period under review, 278 press statements were issued, with 97 advisories while 22 misinformation items were countered.
