Nwoko demands stricter travel oversight from NIS, embassies

Agency Report

Senator Ned Nwoko has urged the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to come up with plans to stop some desperate Nigerians from embarking on dangerous journeys that often end in tragedy and bring disrepute to the nation.

Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District and chairs the Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

“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,” he said.

Nwoko explained that desperation and poor planning were among the major reasons many Nigerians face difficulties abroad.

“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 destitutes and miscreants found in foreign prisons and sometimes constituting a nuisance in foreign nations because they carry the ‘anyway is a way’ mentality,” he added.

The lawmaker stressed that both the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian embassies must be deliberate in carrying out due diligence on Nigerians traveling abroad.

“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,” he said.

Nwoko added that due diligence should include verifying the purpose of such trips, communicating with the invitee to ensure the purpose is legitimate, verifying the authenticity of job offers, and confirming the existence of the employer’s company.

“The NIS and the Nigerian Embassies must also carry out close monitoring for every citizen abroad through a set-up organised 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.

“The Nigerian embassy, both 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 organisations is crucial in addressing these challenges,” he said.

The senator further noted that the first respect any foreign citizen enjoys abroad is the close relationship between the individual and their embassy.

“Many citizens from developed nations have close ties with their embassies outside the shores of their nation, most especially those with legitimate intentions.

“The Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigerian Embassy must strategically reorganise their approach to issuing visas for Nigerians leaving for foreign nations,” he concluded.

NAN also reports that the Senate has urged the Federal Government to immediately begin diplomatic and humanitarian interventions to rescue and repatriate hundreds of Nigerian women and children languishing in Libyan prisons.

The upper chamber’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Aniekan Etim Bassey (APC, Akwa Ibom South), who drew attention to the harrowing experiences of Nigerians trapped in Libya’s detention centres, many of whom are victims of trafficking, slavery, and abuse.

(NAN)