Ex-governors, lawmakers to lose diplomatic passports forcefully

42 ex-ministers, ex-lawmakers hold on to official travel documents

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) yesterday asked 21 former governors, 42 ex-ministers, and more than 260 former members of the House of Representatives to return their diplomatic and official passports.

Passport

The NIS said it might be forced to impound the diplomatic and official passports of past public officers defying the directive.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Mr. M. K. Ibeshi, gave the directive in a statement he personally signed.

It was gathered that the Federal Government was worried that some former ministers, who have cases to answer, had been  junketing abroad with diplomatic immunity.

Although the statement was silent on the actual number of those affected, it was learnt that the list includes 21 former governors, 21 ex-deputy governors,   42 ex-ministers, 233 former members of the House of Representatives, 76 senators and more than 774 former local government chairmen,  among others.

The statement reads: “Further to the directive on the withdrawal of diplomatic and official passports held by unauthorised persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service hereby directs all affected persons to comply forthwith. These persons include, among others, former: (i) State Governors( ii) Senators( iii) Members of House of Representatives

(iv) Members of State Houses of Assemblies; (v) Ministers

(vi) Commissioners, (vii) Special Advisers/Special Assistants; (viii) Chairmen/Deputy Chairmen of Local Governments Areas;  (ix) all retired Heads of parastatals and (x) Retired public servants

“These categories of persons are hereby informed that these passports which were previously held by them have been revoked and should return them to the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters Sauka Abuja, with immediate effect.

“Failure to comply with this directive will amount to an offence under the Immigration Act 2015. Such unauthorised possession will be impounded at our control posts on arrival or departure.

This is the second time in a month that the Federal Government will issue the directive.

The government in August directed the former elective and political office holders to return their diplomatic and official passports.

“The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abubakar Magaji, Federal Ministry of Interior, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to retrieve all valid diplomatic and official passports with immediate effect from all persons who are not entitled to hold such documents,” the statement said.

“The attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to the fact that some Nigerians who are not entitled to hold diplomatic and official passports are in possession of these documents,” it said.

According to the statement, the measure is intended to protect and promote Nigeria’s integrity in the comity of nations in addition to ensuring law and order.

Ex-governors, lawmakers to lose diplomatic passports forcefully

Retrieve diplomatic, official passports from unauthorised persons, FG orders Immigration

Abuja – The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to retrieve forthwith all valid diplomatic and official passports from all persons who are not entitled to hold such documents.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Yusuf Isiaka,the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Interior, on Monday in Abuja.

“The Permanent Secretary, Mr Abubakar Magaji, Federal Ministry of Interior, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to retrieve all valid diplomatic and official passports with immediate effect from all persons who are not entitled to hold such documents,” the statement said.

“The attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to the fact that some Nigerians who are not entitled to hold diplomatic and official passports are in possession of these documents,” it said.

According to the statement, the measure is intended to protect and promote Nigeria’s integrity in the comity of nations in addition to ensuring law and order. (NAN)

 

Retrieve diplomatic, official passports from unauthorised persons, FG orders Immigration

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

Terrorism: NIS bars 4,916 from travelling abroad

The Nigeria Immigration Service said it barred no fewer than 4,916 Nigerians from travelling out of the country between January and March, 2015.

The Nigerians were suspected to be on their way to join international terrorist organisations, including the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq and the Taliban, sources within the NIS confided in our correspondent.

The NIS also said that 758 Nigerians were refused entry abroad while 1, 368 others were deported within the period.

Also, it said 12,152 foreigners were refused entry into Nigeria because they had no genuine reasons for visiting the country.

For the whole of 2014, the NIS prevented 18,555 Nigerians from leaving the country, according to passenger movement returns obtained from the service.

Two Nigerian youths suspected to be on their way to Iraq to join the ISIS were arrested by the Indian security service last week after scaling a barbed wire fence near the international border.

The two youths from Kano State, identified as Imran Kabeer and Sani Jamiliu, were being detained by the Punjab Police in India.

The NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, in an interview on Monday said the organisation had intensified profiling of travellers as part of measures to check people going abroad to do things that are inimical to themselves and the image of the country.

When asked why the NIS was not able to stop the two Nigerian youths arrested in India, Obua explained that in spite of the efforts of the service, many individuals still managed to escape.

He said, “Before the advent of ISIS, the NIS had been battling with illegal migration, organised or otherwise. The push and pull factors have always been there and the NIS has fashioned a robust profiling mechanism that identifies those whose intent for going abroad is either inimical to themselves or the image of the country.

“The NIS has always tried to stop young Nigerians travelling for doubtful reasons. It’s easy to know when you see their young age; many of them are sponsored but many escape the immigration dragnet and our expansive and extensive borders are not helping matters and the NIS didn’t have enough personnel to man all the borders.”

Obua clarified that many young people were being recruited by the ISIS through the internet and social media, stressing that terrorism had become a global challenge for security agencies.

When asked to explain the nature of the profiling been carried out on intending travellers, the NIS spokesman said that it involved thorough interrogation of the subject on his age, travelling plans, means of income, reasons for travelling and his sponsors.

He said, “We look at the age bracket of the intending travellers and the persons they are travelling with, put them by the side and profiled them thoroughly. What are their intentions for going abroad? Where are they going? Who are they going to meet? How much do they have on them? Are they staying in a hotel?

“In the course of this profiling, you would find out the truth.”

When contacted on the fate of the two Nigerians in detention in India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesman, Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode, said he was in a meeting and asked to be given some time. He later refused to pick subsequent calls to his phone by our correspondent.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, on Monday described the Nigerian violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, as an offspring of the pretentious nature of many Nigerians to issues of religion and godliness.

Shettima, whose Borno serves as the operating headquarters of the insurgents, lamented that many Nigerians were “God in mouth but devil in heart,” which explains why the nation has been bedevilled by the Boko Haram crisis.

He said the philosophy of Boko Haram was strange to the Islamic religion.

Addressing the leader of Borno State delegation to the 2015 holy pilgrimage in Jerusalem at the Government House in Maiduguri, Shettima said if Nigerians had practised their religions according to their dictates, the nation would not be witnessing the ongoing Boko Haram crisis.

Terrorism: NIS bars 4,916 from travelling abroad

Immigration begins clampdown on illegal immigrants

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The Nigeria Immigration Service has begun mopping up of illegal immigrants in Osun State ahead of the general elections holding between March and April, 2014.

The Comptroller of NIS in Osun State, Mr. Chris Onunwor, while parading the illegal immigrants arrested by officials of the command in Osogbo on Friday, said they were not going to deport them but would make sure that any of them who wanted to continue to live in the country have their documentation done properly.

He said the NIS officials who were in all local government areas in the state were working to ensure that nationals of other countries residing in Nigeria had proper documentation.

He said, “We know that there are nationals of other countries living in Nigeria and most of them are doing legitimate business but some came in through illegal routes.

“So we are carrying out mop up exercise all over the country to ensure that aliens do not participate in the forthcoming elections.

“They don’t have the right to participate in elections in Nigeria either by voting or by being used by some unscrupulous politicians to cause violence. We are working to ensure that the nationals of other countries do not participate in our elections.

“We want them to have proper documentation and with this we will be able to monitor their movement and activities. We are also calling on those habouring these illegal immigrants to bring them out for proper documentation.”

Onunwor, who resumed as the comptroller general in Osun State command in early February, urged residents to make useful information available to assist the command in knowing illegal immigrants.

He said some of the foreign nationals causing trouble in the country did not come with evil intention but said they might have been corrupted by just one of them who had contact with some bad groups.

He, however, said that security agencies would be able to monitor their activities if they were properly registered by the NIS.

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Immigration begins clampdown on illegal immigrants

NIS Recovers 191 PVCs From Foreigners in Northern Nigeria

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has seized 191 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from foreigners in Sokoto, Jigawa and Zamfara states, as part of efforts to ensure that non-Nigerians do not participate in the general elections, a statement by the agency said.

PVC voters card

According to the statement issued by Chukwuemeka Obua, the Public Relations Officer of NIS, in Abuja yesterday, the service also recovered 57 Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs), 367 old national identity cards and 11 old TVC slips from the foreigners. 68 new national identity cards, 10 birth certificates and three NIS registration certificates were also recovered.

Obua stated that NIS personnel also seized six Gada Local Government Community Tax Cards from foreigners and two driver’s licences belonging to Nigerians.

Other items found in the possession of foreigners include one Nigerian Army Identity Card for occupants in the barracks, one primary school certificate and one data page of the Nigeria Passport.

NIS stated that the development was part of the ongoing nationwide mop-up operation against irregular migrants across the country ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

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NIS Recovers 191 PVCs From Foreigners in Northern Nigeria

Fire guts NIS headquarters

A section of the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters in Sauka, Abuja was destroyed by fire on Tuesday afternoon.

Federal Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Biodun Obisesan said the fire outbreak started some minutes after 12 pm.

He said the FFS in collaboration with the Federal Capital Territory’s Fire Service and that of the Air Force were able to put off the fire before it could cause severe damage.

Obisesan who said the cause of the fire outbreak was still unknown, explained that no life was lost in the incident.

“The fire outbreak affected the store area where their NIS fabrics are kept,” he added.

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Fire guts NIS headquarters

New e-passport takes effect from August 1

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday inaugurated Nigeria’s new 64-page e-passport with a call on Nigerians to protect the image of the country by shunning uncomplimentary statements and actions.

Jonathan launched the traveling document shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He and Vice President Namadi Sambo later took turns to be captured in order to be issued with the new traveling document. The new passport takes effect from August 1.

Jonathan said Nigerians must be ready to work hard in order to improve the image of the country.

The President said, “The issue of the image of the country is what we will all work for, people in government, the media and the civil society.

“I always say that when people continue to paint their country with all kinds of colours, that is the way they will associate those colours with your green passport.

“I want a situation that whenever you travel to another country and you raise your green passport, people will appreciate you and not when you raise your green passport, people will begin to think that that green passport signified some suspicious character.

“We are not helping ourselves when we paint ourselves the colours that we are not supposed to bear.

“I wish to continue to appeal to all Nigerians that we must all collectively learn how we do our things, statements that we make, to paint brighter colours for our green passport.”

The President said the pages of the traveling document had to be increased from 32 to 64 to cater for frequent travellers who change their passport almost every other month because of limited pages for visa.

He urged officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service to protect the integrity of the passport by ensuring that it would be difficult for anybody to fake it.

Jonathan also asked officials who man the nation’s airports to ensure that they conduct themselves in a manner that would portray the country well before visitors.

He added, “I always sympathise with those who travel almost on a weekly basis, changing passport every month, at least we have moved a step forward. The key thing is for us to have a robust relationship with key countries so that some of these frequent travellers may not need visas and that will really help us more.

“One thing one must know today is that it is not the issue of 64-page passport that is key to Nigerians but the security. If our passport could be easily faked by criminals, then we will have problems.

“One thing again is that how can Nigerians get passport easily especially those living outside this country?”

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New e-passport takes effect from August 1

Immigration Recruitment: Family of dead to get automatic employment - Jonathan

By Ehi Ekhator

President Jonathan has ordered that three vacancy slots should be made available for the family of each of the 19 job seekers who lost their lives during the exercise.

At the venue

This come as a result of the public outcry that trailed the death of the job seekers during the last Saturday’s Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday.

The orders state that one of the slots must be a female.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku to State House correspondent at the end of FEC headed by President Goodluck Jonathan

According to him, those who were injured during the exercise should also be given automatic job in the immigration service.

He added that last Saturday recruitment exercise has been cancelled, and a fresh one will be conducted under the Chairmanship of the Federal Civil Service Commission.

He revealed that the government has stopped all government agencies, with the exemption of Army and Police, from carrying out any further physical recruitment exercise.

 

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Immigration Recruitment: Family of dead to get automatic employment - Jonathan