The Federal Government would collaborate with India government to end issuance of fake international passports, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said at the weekend.
Aregbesola, who explained the steps taken by the government to ensure the integrity of Nigerian passports, said the government is willing to cooperate with India on total eradication of fake Nigerian passports into India.
Receiving the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria in his office, Aregbesola told Ambassador Gangadharan Balasubramanian, that Nigeria would for ever remain grateful to India for her support during the country’s anti-colonial struggle that led to Independence.
Aregbesola, in a statement signed by Afonja Ajibola, Director of Press in the Ministry, pledged full cooperation with India, through the Nigeria Immigration Service, to put a stop to the activities of unscrupulous persons and syndicates engaging in fraudulent procurement of fake official Nigerian travel documents to enter India illegally.
The Minister called for closer collaboration with the Indian government through provision of useful information and intelligence reports that will assist in unmasking those involved and their modus operandi with a view to get them arrested and face the the full weight of the law.
On issue of some arrested mariners caught on a ship, and accused of illegal activity, the Minister said the governmet would prefer that the judicial process run its course.
He however added that he would try his best to see if the issue could still be handled on humanitarian ground.
