TOKYO – (Federal Ministry of Interior Report) – The Federal Government has called on Nigerians in the diaspora to respect the laws of their host countries as well as shun all forms of criminality, saying good conducts and friendly relations are virtues that must be upheld at all times.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola gave this charge in a bid to maintain the goodwill and integrity of Nigeria at international level, while flagging-off e-passport and biometric visa issuance by the Nigeria Immigration Service in Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea, over the weekend.
“I call on Nigerians resident in Japan and other countries in the world to respect the laws of their host countries. Self-respect, particularly in foreign lands is the foundation of wisdom and success. As our Ambassador at large in those countries, you must exhibit at all times, good conduct, character nobility and dignity,” he said.
He added that the Japan and South Korea events brought to 44 foreign missions, 43 local and four front offices where the Nigeria Immigration Service issues passports to citizens of Nigeria, in line with the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to the welfare of Nigerians and the Ease of Doing Business.
Aregbesola stressed that the roll-out of e-passport and biometric visa at the Nigerian Embassies in Japan and South Korea was in response to several requests from both the Nigerian community and the Embassies on the need to open passport issuance centres there, due to the distance Nigerians have to cover, in order to have their passports re-issued.
“The Biometric visa is an improved security on the current vignette visa we issue.This new biometric visa will assist our national security and also help in combatting transnational organized crime. Launching of the e-passport and biometric visa issuance would end the activities of criminals and their affiliates, using the nation’s system to perpetrate crimes and criminality anywhere in the world,” the Minister stressed.
“We are adopting technology to secure our land and join the global efforts at preventing human trafficking and illegitimate activities. This is the reason why the new visa and passport regime is linked with Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) which is connected with the INTERPOL data.”
He urged every Nigerian who renounces his or her Nigerian citizenship not to apply for the e-passport at this centre or anywhere. He also assured those Nigerian-Japanese who have accepted Japanese citizenship that a new visa regime that will grant them multiple entry into Nigeria up to the validity of their Japanese passports will commence soon.
Speaking earlier, the Comptroller – General of Immigration, Mohammad Babandede expressed the commitment of the Nigeria Immigration Service to commence working on passport and visa applications in Japan and South Korea immediately.
