4th September, 2015
The newly appointed Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Martins Kure Abeshi has announced that non-ECOWAS visitors could pay up to $2000 if they stay beyond 180 days in the country.
Abeshi stated this during his inaugural meeting with all heads of Commands and formations at the Service Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on 2 September, 2015.
According to a statement issued by Chukwuemeka Obua, Immigration PRO, the new charges is part of a series of operational reforms reeled out by Abeshi as he seeks to reposition the Service.
Other reforms embarked upon include deepening of internal control/monitoring, border security and patrol as well as robust engagement with critical stakeholders of the Service with the purpose of evolving a “Citizen Inclusive Immigration Service”.
The reform in border security he stated would require a revitalization and reinvigoration of the moribund Air Border Patrol Unit to its former enviable status as the premier Aerial Border Patrol Unit in Nigeria.
He affirmed that cases of sharp practices such as extortion, touting and general staff indiscipline would be frontally checked just as enormous attention would be paid to the welfare of officers and men. He promised to continue with the staff Multipurpose Co-operative Scheme of the Service which would dovetail into the incorporation of NIS Micro Finance Bank.
He further assured that the NIS under his leadership would intensify efforts at addressing the disturbing rate of human trafficking in the country. He thereafter directed all heads of formations to put machinery on ground in their various formations to stop the ignoble practice.
The CGI also informed them that the NIS in partnership with Messrs CONTEC (NIS technical partner on the CERPAC Green card project), would soon introduce the e-pass project under the Trusted Travellers Scheme (TTS). When the project takes off, all non ECOWAS visitors to Nigeria and who intend to stay in excess of 56 days would be required to register and pay a fee equivalent of $200 while those who over stay their visitors passes in excess of between 90-180 days would pay a penalty of an equivalent of $1000. Those who over stay in excess of 180 days would be required to pay a penalty of equivalent $2000.
The maiden briefing with the CGI was attended by five Deputy Comptrollers General, 29 Assistant Comptrollers General and 56 Comptrollers.
In a related development, the Comptroller-General of Immigration met with the Passport Control Officers (PCOs) across all formations of the Service on 3 September to read the Riot Act to them in line with the zero tolerance for corruption policy of the new administration.