The new visa policy planned by the
Nigerian Immigration Service will give priority to security over
diplomatic and economic considerations, the The PUNCH gathered on
Sunday.
The fresh initiative, it was learnt, was to check the infiltration of terrorists into the country.
The former acting Comptroller-General of Immigration, Rilwanu Musa had hinted of the review, saying it would prevent terrorists, religious fundamentalists, and other illegal immigrants from entering the country.
A security source told our correspondent on Sunday that as part of the new immigration policy, visitors to Nigeria would be profiled, particularly those of them from the Middle East.
“Such foreign nationals will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival, and systems will be put in place to require them to report to the NIS on a regular basis and provide information regarding their whereabouts and activities in the country,” a source noted.
It was learnt that the NIS planned to impose tougher sanctions against foreigners who violated immigration laws.
The NIS Public Relations Officer, Ekpedeme King, declined to speak on the new visa policy, saying the new Comptroller-General of Immigration, David Padarang was the only competent to talk about it.
“I can’t say anything on the matter, but the CG will talk to you on it. He is the only person that can give you the details of the visa protocol; I am sorry, but I can’t speak on it,” he said in a telephone interview on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Department of Monitoring and Enforcement of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board arrested 14 illegal immigrants along the Ring Road by Finance Quarters in Wuye District of Abuja.
Parading the suspects before handing them over to the NIS Anti-Human Trafficking Department, the Head of Information and Outreach Programme of the AEPB, Mr. Joe Ukairo, said their arrest followed a tip-off.
According to him, some of the suspects, who claimed to be Nigerians, did not know their local government of origin.
The fresh initiative, it was learnt, was to check the infiltration of terrorists into the country.
The former acting Comptroller-General of Immigration, Rilwanu Musa had hinted of the review, saying it would prevent terrorists, religious fundamentalists, and other illegal immigrants from entering the country.
A security source told our correspondent on Sunday that as part of the new immigration policy, visitors to Nigeria would be profiled, particularly those of them from the Middle East.
“Such foreign nationals will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival, and systems will be put in place to require them to report to the NIS on a regular basis and provide information regarding their whereabouts and activities in the country,” a source noted.
It was learnt that the NIS planned to impose tougher sanctions against foreigners who violated immigration laws.
The NIS Public Relations Officer, Ekpedeme King, declined to speak on the new visa policy, saying the new Comptroller-General of Immigration, David Padarang was the only competent to talk about it.
“I can’t say anything on the matter, but the CG will talk to you on it. He is the only person that can give you the details of the visa protocol; I am sorry, but I can’t speak on it,” he said in a telephone interview on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Department of Monitoring and Enforcement of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board arrested 14 illegal immigrants along the Ring Road by Finance Quarters in Wuye District of Abuja.
Parading the suspects before handing them over to the NIS Anti-Human Trafficking Department, the Head of Information and Outreach Programme of the AEPB, Mr. Joe Ukairo, said their arrest followed a tip-off.
According to him, some of the suspects, who claimed to be Nigerians, did not know their local government of origin.
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