The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Passports

  • 21 ex-governors, ministers to lose passports by force

    21 ex-governors, ministers to lose passports by force

    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.

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    “These categories of persons are hereby informed that these passports which were previously held by them have been revoked and should return them to the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters Sauka Abuja, with immediate effect.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

  • PDP crisis: Senators, Reps may lose diplomatic passports

    PDP crisis: Senators, Reps may lose diplomatic passports

    There is no let up in the war of attrition wracking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it has emerged the Federal Government is set to withdraw diplomatic passports issued to all members of the National Assembly – 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives.

    The Presidency has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to “review” the diplomatic passports of the legislators.

    The move, sources say, is one of the strategies to “whip Senators and Representatives” into line and secure their loyalty.

    Following the eruption of the crisis in the ruling party, government has been uncomfortable with the romance between the ‘New PDP’ faction led by one-time Acting National Chairman, Abubakar Kawu Baraje and the opposition in the National Assembly.

    Besides the disruption last week of the visit of Group of Seven (G-7) governors and Baraje faction to the National Assembly, as well as the sacking of the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi, the ongoing review of the diplomatic passports is said to be part of a crackdown on the ‘disloyal’ members of the National Assembly.

    The present exclusive travel document carried by the lawmakers is a product of an executive memo issued by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008 directing the NIS to grant members of the National Assembly diplomatic passports. The passports were, however, to be automatically withdrawn after the tenure of the holders in the National Assembly.

    Although the NIS had always been finding it difficult to retrieve the diplomatic passports from former members of the Assembly, the privilege had been “major bait” being used by the Executive to stabilise its relationship with the lawmakers.

    Sources within the administration told The Nation on Sunday that the Presidency was uncomfortable with what they referred to as the “treacherous attitude” of certain members of the National Assembly – particularly those who have openly pitched their tent with ‘New PDP’.

    Some principal officers of the National Assembly have been informed of plans to review the diplomatic passports of members. “I am aware that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and some principal officers have been informally notified,” one lawmaker who craved anonymity said.

    A few members of the House who were shocked at the turn of events believe government was hiding under the supposedly wholesale review to target anti-presidency lawmakers.

    “We learnt the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigeria Immigration Service have been put on notice over plans to review issuance of diplomatic passports”, the source said. “It is an issue we are going to discuss at the Executive Session after we have returned from our one week oversight function.

    “Since we started using diplomatic passports, the National Assembly has not recorded any case of abuse. We don’t know why the Presidency is trying to score political points with this.”

    A senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who spoke in confidence, however, denied knowledge of the development. “It may interest you to know that our ministry has nothing to do with the issuance of diplomatic passport. In fact, if I want a diplomatic passport, my ministry would have to write the Nigeria Immigration Service to issue it to me.

    “Do leave this ministry out of this issue; we have no role to play,” he said.

    At the Immigration office a senior official who promised to clarify the matter by Monday morning, however, raised question as to the propriety of issuing the special travel documents to the legislators in the first place.

    “Are members of the National Assembly entitled to diplomatic passports at all?” he asked. “Go and look at the convention guiding the issuance of diplomatic passports all over the world. The truth is, members of the National Assembly do not belong to the category of people that should carry diplomatic passport.

    “It is only in Nigeria we have this kind of nonsense. People want immunity for notorious reasons. I know some big men go about with diplomatic passports. When I was working at the airport, I was shocked when I saw a rogue with one. We should learn to do things in line with international best practices.”

    Another Immigration officer said: “We have our records showing that the Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of the former Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello (the Sardauna of Sokoto) and the Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, did not use diplomatic passports while in office. Are any of these lawmakers in the class of these great leaders?”

    A brief obtained on issuance of diplomatic passports reads in part: “Diplomatic passports are official documents normally given to professional diplomats and ambassadors by their governments, to facilitate their work when they are on posting to foreign countries. Its issuance is governed by rules under the 1815 Congress of Vienna that formalised the exchange of diplomatic agents among states.

    “These rules are very restrictive and limit the issuance of diplomatic passports only to professional diplomats who are the personal representatives of their heads of state. Those to whom such passports are given are assumed to be persons of undoubted character and integrity.”

     

  • Nigerian High Commission in UK issues over 200 visas daily

    Nigerian High Commission in UK issues over 200 visas daily

    No fewer than 200 visas and passports are issued daily by the Nigerian High Commission in United Kingdom, the High Commissioner, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida said on Thursday.

    Tafida stated this when he received 12 officials from Adamawa State, who are undertaking a five- day training course on “Local Economic Development,’’ at the Birmingham University.

    He said that the mission had been restructured for effective service delivery, especially in the issuance of visa to those visiting Nigeria for various purposes.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that missions abroad have been mandated to simplify and accelerate visa processes in a bid to attract foreign investment to the country.

    “This mission is known for having the best system in issuing passport, among all the nation’s embassies, it is even better here when compared to how it works at home.

    “We operate with the newest technology, we are also law abiding, and efficient in service delivery,’’ he said.

    According to him, the UK system is all about law and order.

    “ This is the pride of UK. It’s the most disciplined nation in the world,’’ Tafida said.

    He urged the officials to see the training as a foundation where state and local economies can be built upon.

    The Coordinator of the Training Programme, Mr. Osita Chukwuobalom, said the course is to create a better understanding of how local governments can harness their potentialities and develop their economies.

    “This training is a collaborative approach to economic development where all stakeholders are involved in a training programme on how to empower communities for development and self sustainability,’’ Chukwuobalom said.