The Nigeria Immigration Service has been challenged by Senator Ned Nwoko to devise strategies to prevent certain needy Nigerians from setting out on perilous voyages that frequently result in tragedy and bring shame to the country.
In an interview with the New Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday, Nwoko, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation and the representative for Delta North Senatorial District, stated as much.
“The reason many Nigerians end up in foreign prisons lies in the failure of the NIS and, most especially, the Nigerian embassies not carrying out due diligence on those traveling abroad.
“It has become a norm that the majority of Nigerians want to travel out of the shores of Nigeria seeking greener pastures, but that doesn’t negate the fact that some are travelling without genuine intentions.
“Some travel because they are desperate to make money by all means, irrespective of the kind of jobs secured. Some don’t even have any blueprint of their going out of Nigeria, but they’ve already concluded in their hearts that it’s a way.
“These are the automatic destitute and miscreants found in foreign prisons and sometimes constituting a nuisance in foreign nations because they carry the ‘anyway is a way’ mentality,’’ Nwoko said.
The senator emphasized that when conducting due diligence on Nigerians who are traveling overseas, the Nigerian embassy and the Nigerian Immigration Service must be methodical.
”This has nothing to do with freedom of movement restriction. Still, due diligence is not only to protect the lives of the citizens but also to protect the integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria as an independent nation.
”There’s a balance between safeguarding citizens and respecting individual freedom. Respecting individual freedom of movement must not go against the legal ethics of human freedom of movement.
”Hence, cooperation between Nigerian authorities, host countries, and international bodies should be considered as remediation that will enhance safety. Some Nigerians travel to make quick money without having a blueprint for travelling out of Nigeria.
”The predicament Nigerians who travelled abroad face without quick response from the government of Nigeria is a result of improper investigation of citizens by pre-checking the genuineness of the citizens’ reasons for travelling out of Nigeria,’’ Nwoko added.
Nwoko stated that due diligence, including the purpose of making such a trip and communicating with the invitee to ensure the purpose is legitimate, as well as verifying the authenticity of the job description and verifying with the employer’s company if traveling for a job, should be carried out.
“The NIS and the Nigerian Embassies must also carry out close monitoring for every citizen abroad through a setup organized surveillance body to checkmate their activities based on their verified presented documents.
”They must resist access to citizens seeking to travel abroad with fake job proposals,” Nwoko stated
“The Nigerian embassy, both at home and abroad, must never be compromised under the supervision of racketeering with citizens who have no genuine intentions for travelling out of Nigeria.
“Cooperation between immigration authorities, embassies, law enforcement, and international organizations is crucial in addressing these challenges,’’ Nwoko added.
Since many citizens of developed nations have close relationships with their embassies outside of their country, especially those with good intentions, the chairman of reparations and repatriation went on to say that the first respect any foreign national may enjoy abroad is the ability for the embassy to have a close relationship with such a citizen.
Since many citizens of developed nations have close relationships with their embassies outside of their country, especially those with good intentions, the chairman of reparations and repatriation went on to say that the first respect any foreign national may enjoy abroad is the ability for the embassy to have a close relationship with such a citizen.
“The Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigerian Embassy must strategically reorganize their approach to issuing visas for Nigerians leaving for foreign nations.’’
According to NAN, the Senate has called on the federal government to launch humanitarian and diplomatic efforts right away in order to rescue and repatriate hundreds of Nigerian women and children who are being held captive in Libyan jails.
Following a motion sponsored by Senator Aniekan Etim Bassey (APC, Akwa Ibom South), who brought attention to the horrific conditions faced by Nigerians imprisoned in Libyan detention facilities—many of whom had been the victims of abuse, slavery, and human trafficking—the upper chamber passed the resolution.
