The Nigeria Immigration Service boss, Muhammed Babandede, has stated at the weekly briefing of the Presidential Task Force in Abuja yesterday (Tuesday) to revoke the visas of foreign visitors who have failed to present their COVID-19 test certificates on arrival in the country.
The NIS boss stated clearly having the power as laid down Act in the Service to revoke visas and confiscate offenders' passports emphasizing that the next visa for global travel is the COVID-19 certificate.
Babandede also revealed that the 100 travelers under a travel ban for flouting the mandatory seven-day post-arrival COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test could not obtain fresh passports or compromise the NIS officers, adding that the system was automated and cannot be manipulated, adjusted, or bypassed.
Babandede quote "Public health is a big issue in the country and based on that directives, we have complied by blocking 100 passports from traveling, which means, even if they go to the police and declare hose passports missing, they cannot be reissued anywhere in the world, and they cannot cross national borders until the period of six months or communication received from the proper authorities stating that they have complied.
"This will also include non-Nigerian; we have the powers to revoke visas, the comptroller-general has the power to revoke visas."
"Please comply, immigration has no business with anybody; we are implementing the directives handed down to us. You must have evidence of payment.
"If you do the test, it means you have compiled, if you have not done the test, it means you have violated the condition of entering the country; your visa will be revoked," he cautioned.
