The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sunday James

  • NIS: Over 81 thousand foreigners in Nigeria

    … India, China top list 

     

    81, 003 foreigners are currently living in Nigeria, the Comptroller General (CG)  of the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) Muhammad Babandede said on Saturday.

    From available statistics, there were 2,694 US Citizens, 3,946 Britons, 17,995 Chinese, 31,660 Indians, 6,295 Lebanese and 1,295 Germans living legally in Nigeria. Also, there were 17,118 foreign nationals from 92 other countries resident in the Country.

    According to a statement issued by the NIS spokesman, Sunday James: “While keeping in line with its statutory mandate as enshrined in Section 2 (a) – (f) of the Immigration Act 2015 as amended, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, hereby informs the general public that from the month of September, 2018, the Service will give a quarterly report of migrants resident in Nigeria.

    “As at August 31st 2018, the Nigeria Immigration Service has recorded a total of 81,003 non-ECOWAS foreign Nationals legally resident in Nigeria.

    Read Also: Atiku promises to take Nigeria to higher level

    “Within the same period, 82,084 Visas on Arrival (VoA) were issued at 6 International Airports in Nigeria and a total of 7,570 Temporary Work Permits (TWP) were also issued by the Service.

    “The breakdowns for the TWP are 1,492 issued to Indians, 1171 issued to Chinese, 987 issued to Britons, 1006 issued to South Africans, 641 issued to Italians, 649 issued to Ukranians while a total of 1,624 were issued to other nationals.

    “The Service hereby restate its commitment to safeguarding and protecting Nigerian borders while discharging it’s administrative and operational duties in line with International best practices and respect for the rights of Migrants without compromising National Security.”

  • NIS debunks arrest of Ekiti-bound foreigners

    The Nigeria immigration Service (NIS) has debunked rumours that its officers in Kogi had arrested about 200 foreigners heading for Ekiti.

    Spokesman of the agency, Mr Sunday James, dismissed the speculation in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

    James said although some travelers were intercepted by men of the Kogi Command of the service on routine assignment, none of them was found to be a foreigner.

    “The Comptroller of Immigration, Kogi Command, under whose jurisdiction the travelers were intercepted, confirmed with records that they were all Nigerians.

    Read Also: My plan for Ekiti, by Olusola

    “No single Nigerien (citizen of neighbouring Republic of Niger) was found among the people apprehended.

    “The command profiled them to ascertain their true nationality and contrary to reports making rounds, they are all Nigerian citizens traveling to Lagos for their legitimate businesses,” he said.

    Voters in Ekiti will go to the polls on July 14 for the state governorship election that would produce a successor to outgoing Gov. Ayodele Fayose.

  • NIS confirms Dino Melaye’s arrest

    The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed the arrest of Sen. Dino Melaye at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday morning.

    Spokesman of the Service, Mr Sunday James, told our reporter that Melaye was arrested by Immigration officials “based on instruction”.

    The confirmation came hours after the senator, who represents Kogi West, announced the arrest on his Twitter handle at 7:32 a.m.

    “I have just been arrested at the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on my way to Morocco for an official engagement sponsored by the Federal Government after checking in,” he tweeted.

    The police recently declared Melaye wanted after he was accused of supplying arms to some murder suspects, who allegedly implicated him.

    The senator denies the allegations, which he describes as politically motivated.

    NAN

  • NIS arrests 67 irregular migrants from Republic of Niger

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has arrested 67 irregular migrants from the Republic of Niger.

    Mr Sunday James, the spokesman of the agency, announced this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

    James said that the foreigners were intercepted by the Special Border Corps of the NIS while trying to enter the country via Niger State, noting that the comptroller of the service in the state, Mrs Hornby Onimin, was in control of the operation.

    He also said that the migrants had been profiled and would be repatriated soon.

    “This arrest came after the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Muhammad Babandede, held a meeting with NIS zonal coordinators and comptrollers of state commands and other formations.

    “At the meeting, Babandede challenged the officers to return to their base with a new vigour to ensure that non-Nigerians are not allowed to vote or be voted for in line with 1999 Constitution.

    “He also directed them to evolve a community border patrol initiative, where community members are engaged in information gathering and sharing to the NIS border patrol operatives alongside community leaders.

    “The directive has started yielding the desired results as shown by the apprehension of the 67 Nigeriens,’’ he said.

    The spokesman quoted the NIS boss as encouraging other officers to emulate the exemplary leadership style of Onimin

  • Immigration suspends two officers for alleged human trafficking

    Immigration suspends two officers for alleged human trafficking

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has suspended two officers, Araoyinbo Oluwadare and Gabriel Awosanmi, for allegedly aiding and abetting human trafficking.

    Spokesman of the agency, Mr Sunday James, said on Friday that Oluwadare, a Senior Inspector of Immigration, and Awosanmi, an Immigration Assistant 1, were arrested at the Lagos international airport on Thursday night.

    They allegedly facilitated an attempted trafficking of six underage girls to Oman and Kuwait through an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

    Aviation security personnel at the airport apprehended the duo.

    Read Also: Immigration officers held for alleged human trafficking

    James said: “The Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, has ordered the suspension of the above mentioned from duties with immediate effect in line with Service Rules and Regulations.

    “The suspension is to allow for detailed investigation into the issue with a view to unraveling their level of culpability and indeed other syndicates involved in the act.

    “The comptroller-general therefore assures the public of management’s commitment to the eradication of smuggling of migrants and trafficking of persons in the country.’’

  • Immigration probes alleged extortion at Nigerian High Commission in UK

    Immigration probes alleged extortion at Nigerian High Commission in UK

    Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said on Monday it has commenced investigation into alleged extortion of international passport applicants at Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom.

    The Spokesman of the NIS, Mr. Sunday James, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

    James, who said the agency’s attention has been drawn to a video of some Nigerians protesting the alleged extortion at the High Commission, added that “the protesters alleged that some officials of the High Commission are unduly surcharging them for passport issuance.

    He said: “It has become necessary to state that payment for passports are done online and so nobody is expected to come to the High Commission with cash, let alone any case of extortion.

    “In the meantime, machineries have been put in place to unravel the veracity of the allegation.”

    He advised Nigerian passport applicants in the UK and other parts of the world to formally report any form of extortion through immigrationspro@gmail.com, nis.servicom@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng or call +2347080607900.

    The NIS spokesman cautioned against the use of abusive language by protesters, saying such was capable of tarnishing the image of the country.

    NAN

     

     

  • Extortion: NIS bans cash payments at passport offices

    Extortion: NIS bans cash payments at passport offices

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has banned cash payments for passport processing as part of efforts to eliminate corruption at all passport offices nationwide.‎

    NIS spokesperson, Sunday James, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    He‎ said that the Comptroller General of the NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, has directed that henceforth all payments for passport processing must be done online and through designated banks‎.‎

    He said that the NIS boss had, in a circular, directed‎ all passport control officers not to allow cash payments in any of the passport premises.
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    “All payments in respect to passport processing are to be done by applicants through banks to generate application ID and reference number on the NIS portal and not through an individual or touts,” James said.
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    According to him, the NIS CG has also ordered an‎ investigation into allegations of passport racketeering at some passport offices in Lagos with a view to sanitising the system.‎

    James therefore urged passport applicants to ensure that all categories of Nigerian passports fees were done online.    ‎
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    “Passport applicants are therefore strongly advised to visit the NIS website www.immigration.gov.ng to confirm the approved fees for all categories of Nigerian Passports and age groups before making payments,” he added.

    He said that the management of all passport offices have been directed to paste all information required at the premises to guide applicants in line with the executive orders.
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    He urged Nigerians to direct any complaint or enquiries to 07080607900 and the email address nis.servicom@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng.
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    The spokesperson advised applicants against patronising touts or agents‎ in order to ensure efficient service delivery.
    ‎
    The NIS boss had vowed to stamp out corruption in the operations of the NIS as part of efforts to reposition the Service and ensure efficient service delivery.

  • Passport booklet: FG explores local production to ease scarcity

    The‎ Federal Government says it is seriously exploring the local production of passport booklets in the country as part of plans to save cost and ease the lingering scarcity of the document.

    ‎

    Mr Sunday James, spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

    NAN reports that the passport booklet is presently being produced‎ by Iris Smart Technology Nigeria (ISTL) through its parent company, Iris Corporation based in Malaysia.
    ‎
    James said that‎ the Minister of Interior, retired LT.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau had directed for the domestication of the production of the passport booklets in the country.

    He, however, did not give details of the directive, claiming that he was not to be preview to it‎.

    James assured that notwithstanding the measure, the NIS was working round the clock to ensure sustained delivery and distribution of the booklets across all its commands in the country.

    “The Comptroller-General of the Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, wishes to inform the general public and most especially those who have approached our Passport
    Processing Centres of recent, that the Service now has standard Passport Booklets in sufficient quantity for issuance.

    “All Passport Control Officers have been directed to clear the backlog of outstanding applications,” he said.‎
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    Mr Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, the Press Secretary to the Minister of Interior,told NAN that the minister was committed to resolving all issues relating to the passport production.‎
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    Osaigbovo said that the minister had set up a committee, headed by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to look into the local production of the document and resolve the challenge posed by its scarcity.

    He said the committee was also charged with the responsibility of exploring ways of starting the local production of the passport booklets, in view of the numerous advantages.

    “You know if we produce the booklets locally, we will be safeguarding the critical database of Nigerians, safe foreign exchange and create more employment,” he said.

    He further said the committee was set up to iron out all the legal issues associated with the current contract with ISTL with a view to ensuring local production and involving the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company in the production.

    NAN investigation reveals that ISTL had in 2016 requested an upward review of the price of obtaining the passports‎ due to what it termed the increased cost of production and falling exchange rate of the naira to the dollar.
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    Nigerians all over the country and abroad have continued to complain about the delay in getting and renewing their international passport due to the scarcity of the passport booklets.