Illegal Immigrants, Expelled by Nigeria, Stalled at Border Posts

Thousands of angry and dejected illegal immigrants milled around this border post Saturday, 24 hours after the expiration of the Nigerian military government’s deadline for them to leave the country.

It appeared that less than one-fourth of Nigeria’s estimated 700,000 illegal aliens had left by Friday, and tens of thousands waited at posts like this one, 60 miles west of the capital of Lagos and on the border with Benin.

In this West African nation suffering the depressed aftermath of an oil boom, aliens are seen as depriving Nigerians of jobs. They have also been accused of causing high crime rates in the cities.

On April 16, Nigeria ordered illegal immigrants--about 300,000 of them believed to be from Ghana--to get their presence approved by May 10 or leave Nigeria.

It reopened its land borders, sealed for a year to prevent smuggling, just over a week ago to let the illegal aliens out, but closed the borders again Friday night as the deadline expired.

Government radio reported that illegal immigrants were being taken to the Lagos airport and a camp there normally used by Muslims making the pilgrimage to Mecca. It said they would be flown out of the country. Others were expected to be sent home by ship.

At this border point, A.M. Lagos, assistant district immigration commissioner, said people were refusing to leave the country.

Some wanted to argue about what they could take out of Nigeria. Immigrants were being allowed to take no more than 20 Nigerian naira, or $22, out of the country. Another problem, Lagos said, was that immigration officials in neighboring countries were closing down their posts at normal hours.

Overloaded cars continued to arrive at Seme, and Lagos said there were at least 350 trucks, including 20-ton vehicles hauling 100 people or more in each. Asked if there might be 10,000 people here, he said, “Much more than that.”

Lagos said authorities had twice appealed to the immigrants to join police-led convoys. He said a few rocks had been thrown, but no major incidents were reported.