The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Mehmet Poroy, has said the number of irregular Nigerian migrants in Türkiye has fallen from about 9,000 to fewer than 5,000, attributing the decline to improved cooperation between both countries.
The envoy made the disclosure during a strategic meeting with the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols of NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the meeting was also attended by the commission’s Secretary, Dr Sule Yakubu Bassi, and members of the Turkish delegation.
Poroy explained that Nigeria previously ranked fourth among countries with the highest number of irregular migrants in Türkiye but has now dropped out of the top six.
He also revealed that 4,600 Nigerian students are officially registered in Türkiye, while about 3,700 others are studying in Northern Cyprus.
The ambassador noted that cases involving forged Schengen visas and fake travel documents had reduced significantly following closer collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy.
In her remarks, Dabiri-Erewa emphasised the need for sustained engagement to tackle illegal migration, assuring that both sides were working to fully implement agreements reached to address the issue.
