The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has stated that the Nigerian government is willing to work with India to eliminate the use of fake Nigerian passports to travel to India.
This assurance was given by Aregbesola in his office over the weekend while receiving the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Gangadharan Balasubramanian, on a courtesy visit.
According to Aregbesola, Nigeria will be eternally grateful to India’s government and people for their assistance during Nigeria’s anti-colonial struggle that led to independence.
He pledged the Federal Government of Nigeria’s full cooperation, through the Nigeria Immigration Service, in putting a stop to the activities of unscrupulous individuals and syndicates engaged in the procurement of forged official Nigerian documents.
He also called for closer collaboration with the Indian government, including the sharing of useful information and intelligence reports that will aid in the identification of those involved and their methods of operation, with the goal of apprehending them and subjecting them to the full force of the law.
On the issue of some arrested mariners accused of illegal activity, Aregbesola stated that the government will prefer that the judicial process take its course while he investigates whether the matter can be handled on humanitarian grounds.
The minister made it abundantly clear that Nigeria frowns on all illegalities and will not tolerate individuals obtaining fake visas in order to gain unauthorized entry into another country.
Aregbesola asked High Commissioner Balasubramanian for technical assistance in the form of scholarships, professional courses, and training as part of a collaboration that will improve the performance of his ministry’s paramilitary agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, which is a civil protection corps that responds to emergencies and works alongside the police to maintain law and order.
In his remarks, the Indian high commissioner promised to look into additional areas of cooperation that would strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two friendly countries.
Mr Gangadharan Balasubramanian later revealed that seven government agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, are currently undergoing relevant courses in India as part of the partnership’s support for Nigeria.
