Senate summons Aregbesola over FG’s visa on arrival policy – TheNigerialawyer

The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni
Rauf Aregbosola, to appear before it with the Comptroller General
of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede.

Aregbesola and Babandede are to brief the Senate on Committee on
Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on latest visa on arrival
policy for Africans visiting Nigeria by the Federal Government
announced by President Muhammadu Buhari in Egypt.

The invitation of the Minister followed a point of order raised
by the Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District,
Olubunmi Adetunmbi.

Adetunmbi had drawn the attention of the Senate to the fact that
the executive did not seek necessary amendments to extant laws by
the National Assembly before the policy became operational.

Buhari had in his speech during the Aswan Forum on peace and
sustainable development in Egypt, said that African passport
holders can apply for a visa upon arrival in the country, in a move
aimed at encouraging free circulation of people on the
continent.

“We in Nigeria have already taken the strategic decision to
bring down barriers that have hindered the free movement of our
people within the continent by introducing the issuance of visa at
the point of entry into Nigeria to all persons holding passports of
African countries with effect from January 2020,” Buhari said.

“We should furthermore promote free trade within and amongst
Africa and Africans especially now that we have launched the
African Free Trade Area Agreement,” he added.

Details shortly…