The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has been able to issue over 58,000 visa on arrivals from January 2019 till date, according to Abdullahi Musa Usman, Comptroller, Lagos Airport.
Usman who was speaking during a press conference on Thursday, disclosed that the visa on arrival lounge at the airport has been expanded to accommodate the surge in demand.
He stressed that cash payments are no longer allowed at the visa on arrival security post to reduce any form of bribery as applicants are advised to either pay online or use the Point of Sale (POS) machines.
Usman said the service has also introduced Migrant Information Data Analysis System to accelerate passenger clearance in short time.
He explained that the system works in such a way that the image and 10 fingers of passengers coming into the country for the first time are captured but subsequently, only one finger will be captured upon entry into the airport.
He said this way, the service keeps record of number of visitors coming in and leaving the airport on a daily basis.
He noted that the service introduced Servicon Unit to ensure services rendered are done according to global best practices, adding that Access bank has chosen to partner with the service to deliver best services to passengers.
“Access bank said they want to assist us in providing facilities that will help create enabling environment and improve our services,” he said.
Victor Etuokwu, executive director, retail banking, Access Bank, commended the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, saying that the bank was prompted to upgrade facilities at Immigration offices at the airport because of the efficient management of the Command.
Etuokwu commended the Comptroller, Lagos Airport, Abdullahi Musa for the way he was transforming the Command and noted that even the officers and men at the airport are happy because of Musa’s style of leadership.
“The role of Immigration is very critical for the country and this Command is efficiently carrying out this their responsibility. At Access Bank, we support good things that have national interest and that is why we want to identify with what is happening here.
“We are happy with what we are doing. You have very credible personnel; officers and men who are happy doing their jobs,” he said.
Meanwhile the NIS has denied 150 suspected victims of human traffickers departure from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in the last three months.
NIS said this development is sequel to its anti-human trafficking training programme for its staff focused on identifying illegal movements of people in and out of the airport.
Usman said not less than 150 people were refused departure by the service in the last three months because they did not fulfil the requirements of passing through the control post.
“Most of the persons we refused departure either do not know where they are going to or what they are going there to do. Although, we are not able to lay hands on the traffickers but we are working hand in hand with the relevant authorities to arrest the traffickers,” he said.
The comptroller said after profiling and questioning the suspected victims who are often between the ages of 16 to 40 years, most of them engage in the act because they are either greedy or totally ignorant.
IFEOMA OKEKE
