Despite the objections raised by the Senate and reservations expressed by some Nigerians about its visa-on-arrival policy for Africans, the Federal Government has commenced the implementation
of the new visa regime.
Findings revealed that the visa-
on-arrival policy commenced on January 1, as
planned. Also, the Nigeria Immigration Service
has deployed a new border management security
system in four airports across the country.
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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari
(retd.), on December 11, 2018 at the Aswan
Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in
Africa, in Cairo, Egypt, announced the visa-on-
arrival policy for Africans.
“We in Nigeria have already taken the strategic
decision to bring down barriers that have
hindered the free movement of our people within
the continent by introducing the issuance of visa
at the point of entry into Nigeria to all persons
holding passports of African countries with effect
from January 2020,” the President said.
But, the announcement was greeted with
criticisms by many Nigerians who believe the
policy might worsen the security challenges
facing the country.
The Senate also on December 17, 2019
summoned the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf
Aregbosola, and the Comptroller General of the
Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammed
Babandede, to brief them on the policy.
The resolution was sequel to a motion
sponsored by the Senator representing Ekiti
North, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, when he drew the
attention of his colleagues to the fact that the
executive did not carry the legislature along
before coming up with the policy. Adetunmbi is
also the chairman, Senate Committee on National
Planning.
Adetunmbi, in his lead debate, argued that the
executive did not seek necessary amendments to
extant laws by the National Assembly before the
policy would become operational.
The Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, in
his contribution, had said Nigerians were worried
about the policy because of a spate of insecurity
in the country caused by some foreigners coming
in.
“We want to make sure that we take care of our
citizens before we start taking care of the whole
Africa,” he added.
Senator Gabriel Suswam also said that since the
President made a policy statement “it is now
incumbent on him as Mr President to also direct
the necessary authorities to bring the
Immigration Act for us to amend.”
On his part, Senator Abba Moro, who is a former
Minister of Interior, said when international
agreements were entered into by Nigeria, they
should be properly domesticated to give them a
bite of legality and legitimacy.
Meanwhile, Senator Jibrin Barau has called on the
National Assembly to provide legal backing to
the policy, adding that the visa-on-arrival policy
is being practised in developed countries and
that it could open a country’s economy to
emerging markets and investment opportunities.
In his remarks after the debate, the President of
the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, called on the Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, to forward all treaties and
agreements entered into by the Federal
Government to the National Assembly for
ratification.
Lawan thereafter threw the matter up for vote and
a majority of the senators voted against the
policy.
But findings by Sunday PUNCH on Saturday
showed that the immigration service had begun
the implementation of the policy.
It was further learnt that a border management
technology known as the Migration Information
Data Analysis System had been activated at all
the international airports before the
commencement of the policy.
They include the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Ikeja; Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International
Airport, Kano and the Port Harcourt International
Airport.
The MIDAS collects, processes, stores and
analyses migrant information in real-time across
the border network and provides a strong
statistical base for security, migration policy, and
planning.
It automatically captures travellers’ biographic
and biometric data through the use of document
readers, webcams and fingerprint readers for the
purpose of identification, biometric verification,
inspecting, authenticating travel document and
collecting and analysing data of migrant
information in real-time across the border
network.
Before a traveller arrives at a border crossing
point, the MIDAS is able to check incoming
Advanced Passenger Information data against
international alert lists from the International
Police Organisation and other security agencies.
NAN
