•Says, Persons of Interest attempting to use neighbouring countries to access Nigeria
•Says: ‘Nigeria, not a safe haven for criminals’

The Federal government has announced plans to cancel its Visa-on-Arrival policy, saying “it is not working”. Accordingly, government is set to introduce landing and exit cards which prospective visitors would pre-fill before coming into the country.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo spoke on Friday during the closing ceremony of the week long capacity building training on Advance Passenger Information / Passenger Name Record API/PNR Data in National Security and Law Enforcement held at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS in Abuja.

According to him, some persons of interest have been trying to evade the new systems out in place across Nigeria’s five international airports. He said intelligence has revealed that such persons now travel to neighbouring countries in order to access Nigeria through its vast land borders.

Consequently, he said the ministry will work with relevant partners to deploy the API/PNR system across its land borders, noting that Nigeria cannot be a destination for criminals.

At the event, Comptroller General Immigration Service CGIS, Kemi Nandap said the programme originated from discussions held with the United Nations Organization on Counter Terrorism in Bangkok, Thailand last year. Nandap said the immigration service has a crop of well-trained and patriotic personnel who are ready to give their best to the country.

Objective profiling

The Interior minister said the API/PNR is not optional, recalling that system was not on place when he was made minister. He said; “What the API, PNR gives us is objectivity in decision making, objective profiling, not subjective profiling. What we had was subjective. The visa system, that is one of the core, because I always tell people the visa is not just an approval of entry, it is a migration management device. It is a security device to manage migration into your country. So the way it is at the moment is very subjective. We are not really too objective and that is why we are automating the whole process end-to-end. And the e-visa solution, we are working hard to be able to meet the first of March or peradventure if we are unable, the 1st of April, we will hit it live.

“We automate the system. People apply online and we will do what we need to do. That solution will be integrated with the Interpol system, the criminal records system, so that we can be able to take decisions. We do not want foreign attachés approving and issuing visas. It is not going to be that any more, we want to be able to screen people more. This cannot be a destination for wanted criminals in the world. Nigeria is not a safe haven for any criminal and it will never be.

“Another thing we are trying to do even for our expatriates is to see how we can integrate all these our immigration solutions. What we are doing is to harmonize all these solutions in our data centre, harmonize the database and be able to let the solutions speak to one another rather than having solutions in silos. “We want to have integrated solutions. So what we are looking at is that for any decision that borders on immigration into Nigeria, it will be impossible for approvals to be given without the clearance of interpol, criminal records system and all background checking agencies in real time. Security is not a sector where you can afford to be 99.9% correct.

“People must fill the landing card which will be integrated with the visa solution, integrated with the passport solution, then to all background checking systems across the world before you come. So we will be able to share this data with other agencies and across the world. This is to sanitize the process. A scenario where it is difficult for NIS,on the tip of a finger, to tell me the number of foreigners who are into Nigeria is unacceptable. A scenario where somebody comes into Nigeria, disappears, and becomes untraceable is unacceptable. A scenario where there is abuse of immigration policies and processes is unacceptable. A scenario where somebody needs to come to Nigeria, stay for six months, waiting to regularize the residency in Nigeria is unacceptable. It is not done anywhere in the world. So we are going to bring these massive reforms and these reforms start between March 1 and April 1. Why we are trying to do these is to be able to safeguard our people, is for us to be responsible in the comity of Nations, and for us to be able to contribute our fair quota to international peace”, he added.

FG approves relocation of 29 custodial centres

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has approved the relocation of 29 out of Nigeria’s 256 Custodial Centres due to rapid urbanization. Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Friday in ABUJA when he commissioned 39 mini green maria for conveyance of inmates to and from courts, and five bullet resistant guard booths at the headquarters of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS in Abuja. The minister also explained the idea behind the establishment of a paramilitary academy, saying paramilitary jobs are not poverty alleviation schemes but lifelong careers that young Nigerians should aspire to get.

[Vanguard]