JUST IN: Immigration stops 58 doctors from travelling to UK at Lagos Airport

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja

The Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, on Friday stopped 58 doctors from travelling to the United Kingdom at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Comptroller General, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, said 56 of the 58 doctors billed to be airlifted to the UK on a special flight for a “training programme” in London were refused departure as they had no entry visas to their destination country.

According to a statement from NIS, the 58 medical doctors were refused departure in line with Section 31 subsection 2a and b, on powers conferred on the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service by the Immigration Act 2015, to prohibit departure of any person under the conditions stated in the Act.

The statement said the chartered flight approved for landing in Nigeria was to carry 42 medical doctors for a training programme but that they were 58 with only two having Visa for entry into UK, a situation that called for refusal of departure.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service as the agency saddled with control of entry and departure from Nigeria of persons will not allow individuals or groups of well-educated Nigerians who should know the procedures for travelling out of their country and the requirements, which include having a valid visa for entry into a destination country to leave.

“This is to avoid refusal of entry and repatriation back to Nigeria amidst Covid-19 pandemic and spreading of same as well as flouting the Federal Government’s directive on the restriction of international flights unless for an essential reason as approved by the government,” it said.

It added that there was no official communication to the Service from the Ministry of Health in Nigeria or any known medical body notifying the NIS of the travel of this number of medical doctors, saying that the aircraft had departed for London without the medical doctors.

“The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, is taking this opportunity to advise Nigerians to always adhere to travel protocols and ensure they have valid passports with valid visa to the country they intended travelling to before going to any airport, seaport or land border control to avoid refusal to depart,” the statement said.

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3 Comments

Bobby says:

July 11, 2020 at 4:28 am

Another slave trade or human traffic? Britain is always trying to brain drain Africa. Thank God for NIS.

Chukwubuezeogeniile says:

July 10, 2020 at 9:20 pm

Fake Doctors! How can a Doctor not know the requirements for travelling to another country where they are not visa free

Roberto says:

July 11, 2020 at 12:34 am

You and your illiterate Nigerian immigration are the idiots here since they have zilch knowledge about international travel processes. It is non of their business whether these doctors possessed visas or not. The fact that the private jet that came for them was allowed to land and take off from Nigeria is already an indicator of its legitimacy. The passengers on the flights were obviously living on the flight voluntarily and it was an infringement on their fundamental rights to freedom of movement to have stopped them from travelling. The issue of their potential refusal of entry into the UK was of no concern to the stupid Nigerian immigration. Thats the business of the UK border patrol. If they are refused entry and have to fly back to Nigeria, it was still not the immediate business of Nigeria since it was going to be their own cost to pay for the trip. I wonder when Nigerian will get enlightened officials who can actually exercise discretion when it matters most without corruption. They would have been allowed to travel if some bribe demanded had been paid, but since they didnt play ball, they were frustrated.