Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, former Commissioner for Information and Communication in Ekiti, has urged the Federal Government to strengthen its database before it can effectively implement its “Free Entry Visa Policy” for Africans.
Ogunsuyi gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, on the recent visa ban on Nigeria and other countries by the U. S.
He said that as much as Nigeria appeared to mean well for the African continent with the policy of free entry visa, the Federal Government must also consider the security implications.
“Nigeria appears perfect on the consideration of good neighbourliness and being our brother’s keeper as a big brother in Africa.
“However, if we are to consider the security implications for Nigeria; it is easy to see that the negatives outweigh the positives.
“Nigeria, a country having challenges in biometrics data will fall prey to all manners of characters, fugitives, and terrorists.
“These sets of people with questionable characters can assume stolen identities and perpetrate all manners of malfeasance, claiming to be Nigerians to further damage our National image,” he said.
He said that was an urgent need for Nigeria to reverse this policy in the interest of collective security, adding that the visa ban on Nigerians was one of the negatives directly stemming from the policy.
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Ogunsuyi noted that a situation where foreigners claimed Nigerian nationality and carry out terror acts had earned the country international disrepute in the comity of nations.
“The internal security is also seriously compromised, an example is a recent pogrom in Plateau.
“The killing spree of Nigerians by bandits from neighbouring countries cannot be excused on any pretext.
“The security of citizen’s life and property is the primary and most compelling duty of the Federal Government and should not be sacrificed for any reason.”