ECOWAS PROTOCOL ON FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE EXPULSION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS IN 1983 AND 1985 NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

The research, will attempt to identify and examine the problems Nigerian.is faëing in controlling the influx of illegal ali n.s into the cc mtry and the reasons adduced for the expulsion of illegal immigrants and its irppact on regional integration in west Africa sub - region. Nigeria played a very crucial. role in the establishment of -frie economic community of West A:fiican states (ECOWAS). Nig(;ria also bears a very great burden of sustaining the organization. ECOWAS was set up to act as a collective forum for addressing the socio-economic prob!ems and developmental priorities of e sub-region.¹³ In an effort to achieve some of the objectives for which ECOWAS wasset up the ECOWAS pmtocol on :free movement was formulated. The protocol on free movement was for movement of persans, wa-s designed to enhance greater·interaction among me bers stated.14 But it seemingly brought attendant economic and social problems for the country.It made it difficult for mem_bers states to mobilize their resourc s for nation development. citizens of member tates can flood any member country, during econ<:>Inic prosperity and leave during periods of economic adversity.