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By Christopher Oji
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested a Sierra Leonean for procuring Nigerian international passports for foreigners in Lagos.
The suspect, Roland, is in detention and undergoing interrogation by officials of the Lagos State Command of the NIS, Alagbon.
The man claimed to be a Cameroonian, but his international passport has him as a Sierra Leonean.
According to an NIS source who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he was not supposed to speak to the press, the suspect, Roland, was arrested in Iju, Lagos, on a tip-off.
The NIS officer said Roland procured over 200 Nigerian passports for foreigners, “He has named some of our officers and other collaborators. He is a risk to our country. He procured passports for people from neighbouring countries, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, etc.”
The source indicated that action would be taken to close all loopholes and fish out those aiding the illicit act.
“What he was doing was using the first name of his clients and adding a Nigerian name. He was smart enough to know the towns and local government areas he would assign to each of his clients.
“He was not doing it alone, as he was collaborating with some of our men and some Nigerian touts. This is serious economic sabotage, because such people that come to Nigeria to procure passports are giving us a bad name in other countries of the world. A man who comes into Nigeria to procure a passport could use it for criminal activities. If the person is arrested for any crime, he would be seen as a Nigerian.
“That is why passport controllers should not be from other states. They should be officers who understand the languages, villages and the culture of the area that they have been posted to work in, so that they will be able to question applicants properly. A PCO serving in the South West, should be from the South West, who understands the terrain very well. The one serving in the North should be able to understand their language, culture and other necessary things.
“We have recovered exhibits from the suspect and he will soon be transferred to Abuja, because this is a serious crime against Nigeria.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline)
Police recover stolen vehicle after four months, arrest car thief
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory(FTC) Police command has arrested a suspected car thief who allegedly snatched a vehicle from its owner at gun point along Kuje-Airport road, on May, 2, 2024.
The suspect who is now in police custody, was said to have snatched the vehicle a Toyota Corolla, with registration number :ABC 258 LD, and changed the number plate to AGD 146 JP to evade arrest.
FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Josephine Adeh, said the police recovered the vehicle at Jabi, in the possession of Michael Uke , who had replaced the original registration number to AGD 146 JP from the old number.
Adeh, in a statement, said: “Operatives of the FCT police on 17th of August, 2024, at about 12:00 p.m., in a swift response to the theft of Toyota Corolla vehicle with REG NO: ABC 258 LD, reportedly snatched at gunpoint on 2nd May, 2024, along Kuje-airport road, and the same vehicle being sighted.
“With the aid of digital reconstruction intelligence, the operatives of the command tracked the vehicle to Ifego Guest Inn at Jabi, in the possession of Uke .The suspect had replaced the registration number on the vehicle with another, reading REG NO: AGD 146 JP. During the search, one POS machine, one knife, glass dissolving chemicals, military jungle hat, and the original number plate of the vehicle were discovered in his possession.
“While the investigation is still ongoing, the commissioner of police FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh,reiterates the Commands unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of residents of the FCT. He further encourages residents of the FCT to report any suspicious activities to the police emergency lines : 08032003913, 08028940883, 08061581938, and 07057337653 PCB: 09022222352, CRU: 08107314192”.
This case is an eye-opener to us that many people arrested abroad for criminal offences are not Nigerians. We have many people doing the same business as Roland. We are going to be careful this time around. I think the government should look into the issue of online application for Nigerian passports; even after online application, the applicant should be questioned very well and he or she should come for physical data capture.”
