By Haruna Salami
Senate joint committee on Interior and Human Rights and Legal Matters has expressed fears over the federal government’s points of entry (visa on arrival) policy to African countries.
The committee expressed this concern during an interactive session with the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Mohammed Babande Tuesday. It urged the minister to advise the President appropriately on the policy, stressing that if the policy will undermine the country’s security architecture it should be dropped forthwith.
A member of the committee and the Senator representing Kaduna south, Danjuma La’ah advised that instead of implementing the point of entry visa policy, the FG through the various security agencies should first of all comb the nooks and crannies of the country and free it of illegal immigrants who are threatening the nation’s security.
“Visa on arrival is a policy coming at the wrong the because of the security situation in the country. Many people are being killed Eve to everyday and we don’t care”‘ La’ah said.
Chairman Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Kashim Ibrahim, Borno Central said “Nigerians are hated with passion by their African brothers while at the same time we open our doors for them to one in”.
He urged the government officials to “take the apprehension our members as a result of the Security concerns in the country” adding that all the facts gathered at the session will be captured in the committee’s r report and send to the Senate.
Responding to the fear of the lawmakers, the Comptroller General of NIS, Mohammed Babande said “visa on arrival policy will rather strengthen the nation’s security rather than weakening it as expressed by the lawmakers.
According to him, previously the system of checkmating migrants did not offer the agency to have all the data of foreigners in the country, but with the current policy in place, they would be able to have all data of individual coming to the country.
“Distinguished members, I can understand your fears as representatives of the people, but I want to assure you that this policy of point of entry visa is global best practices. It is to strengthen the security of Nigerians because what we are doing now with the arrival of the policy, we not only capture them biometrically, but we also take their photograph so that in case of anything they won’t be any hiding place for them” he said.
He admitted that based on the explanation by the CG, they have gotten the message though insisted that the committee will report back to the Senate with facts gathered.
“We are going to leave this place well informed and well educated. He said “Ours here is to gather all facts and assemble them together and report back to the Senate.”