Fear in Immigration Service over visa to ISIS chief

ABUJA — There was palpable fear among the staff and management of the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, yesterday over how the ISIS chief, Ahmed Al Assir, got entry visa in Lebanon to visit Nigeria.

Ahmed Al Assir

Already, reports have revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a full scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the granting of visa to the terrorist,who has been declared wanted by several governments around the world.

Al Assir was said to have been arrested at Lebanon airport on his way to Nigeria through Egypt.

The Lebanese judiciary has accused him of involvement in the death of  no fewer than 17 Lebanese solders and sentenced him to death.

A reliable source in the State House, who preferred anonymity, told Vanguard that the President was very worried about the development, adding that the Buhari government will not continue to watch while a para-military agency in charge of visa frustrates government’s efforts to stamp out terrorism from the country.

Relevant government agencies are said to have been directed to explain how the wanted terrorist managed to be issued with a valid Nigerian visa.

“The reported arrest of the wanted terrorist is a huge embarrassment to Nigeria and the President has directed that the matter should be investigated. The embassy in Lebanon has been directed to furnish the ministry with details of how the man got the visa. The National Intelligence Agency Officer has been directed to provide details of what happened,” the officer said.

Yesterday, officials of the NIS were seen in several meetings ostensibly to deliberate on the development which sources say is capable of resulting to a lot of “reactions.”

A staff of the service at the NIS headquarters, yesterday, also confided in some journalists that the management was toying with the idea of a major shake up especially at the visa department to prevent a recurrence.

 

Fear in Immigration Service over visa to ISIS chief