EDITORIAL

Visa scam in Nigerian Embassy

AT a time when the global perception of the country's image is at a precarious precipice due to socio-economic malaise and religious spasm, fuelled by fanatical adherents, it is just bad enough that some of Nigeria's foreign missions, which are expected to reverse the country's sagging reputation at international forums, are, ironically, in the vanguard of advancing the course of some of the rot in which the country already found itself.

IN a story published by some newspapers, the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) - A Federal Government news gathering outfit - revealed to the consternation of many that foreigners intending to travel to Nigeria have decried what they described as the sum for "police character certificate" demanded as a pre-condition for the issuance of visa in the Nigerian Embassy in Cote d'Ivoire.

FURTHER investigation by NAN showed that the "police character certificate" which must come from a police station in Nigeria, made the unsuspecting foreigners to pay between 300,000 CFA ($700) and 400,000 CFA ($900) for the issuance of the "certificate" in Cote d'Ivoire. 

MANY foreigners, including a British citizen who works for an American company and was posted to Nigeria from his base in Cote d'Ivoire, and a Congolese missionary were some of the victims of this visa scam.

IT is saddening that this sordid occurrence could rear its head in Nigeria's embassy just a few months after the matrimonial imbroglio in the country's Kenyan embassy. In fact, the Cote d'Ivoire episode has given a subtle credence to the widespread allegation of malfeasance in some of our embassies all over the world.

THAT this should happen in any of our embassies at all, just when the Minister of Foreign Affairs was protesting and shouting himself hoarse about the undignified treatment accorded Nigerian visa seekers in foreign embassies in Nigeria, clearly shows the need to scrupulously sanitise the country's foreign missions for us to possess the moral weapon to accuse other missions of wrongdoing. Charity, they say, begins at home.

IT is shameful to note that while diplomats of other nations are daily strategising on how to boost the socio-economic well-being of their countries, ours are busy contriving unproductive antics towards lining their pockets with dirty money as shown in the Cote d'Ivoire tragedy.

THE studied silence of the embassy in Cote d'Ivoire, even when the names of the culprits were mentioned in the NAN investigation, leaves much to be desired. Its taciturnity can only be assumed as evidence of culpability.

ALL those mentioned in the NAN report must be thoroughly probed and immediately indicted if found guilty. This will not only prove to the outside world that we are not populated by crooks and criminals but to also placate the victims of this shameful incident towards redeeming our soured image.

WE also like to caution that the task of foreign representation is an arduous one which requires intense scrutiny of candidates before assignment. A situation where the image of Nigeria is fast becoming the endangered commodity at the hands of those principally employed to serve as its sentinel, reveals a worrying lacuna in the recruitment process and appointment of those entrusted with the sacred management of Nigerian missions abroad.

THE time has come to legislate a very stern penalty for those embassy staff who think they can sacrifice the country's image and security on the altar of pecuniary benefits. 

The United States of America (USA) from where we copied our democratic system, in spite of her distaste for death penalty, still retain same for espionage. How are we sure that those who engage in the blatant racketeering of our national passport and visa in foreign lands will not leak the country's security for a mess of porridge?

IT is little wonder, therefore, that a foreign journalist once said that "you only need a bottle of beer and wads of dollars to procure vital information about Nigeria." This is a sad commentary on our stunted ethical stature and pretentious patriotism.

Nigerian Tribune