NBA, SERAP, Aturu Decry New British Visa Regime

Some prominent lawyers in Lagos on Monday condemned the plan by Britain to compel Nigerians visiting the country to provide a bond of 3,000 pounds (N750, 000).

The lawyers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone, described the plan as “discriminatory and height of neo-colonial imperialism.”

NAN reports that the new visa regime will affect visitors from Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.

From November, visitors from these countries will be made to deposit the money before securing six months visa to Britain.

The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, Mr Onyekachi Ubani, said that the Nigerian government should discourage the implementation of the policy.

Ubani said: “It is discriminatory and does not conform with international standards.

“If they go ahead with it, then, Nigeria should retaliate like it did with South Africa by ensuring that British nationals coming here also deposit that amount.”

Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a human rights group, said that the new visa regime was an affront to international relations.

“It is extremely discriminatory. It is not a general rule for everybody coming into Britain; so, it should not be imposed on Nigerians,” he said.

He advised that the development should provoke the Federal Government to make Nigeria more habitable for the citizenry.

“Government should provide the necessary infrastructure and enabling environment to discourage Nigerians from travelling abroad under various excuses,” Mumuni said.

Another human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Bamidele Aturu, urged the government to take up the issue diplomatically with Britain.

“Otherwise, we should do the same thing and make their citizens to deposit the naira equivalent before entering Nigeria,” Aturu said.

Mr Jiti Ogunye, a lawyer and public affairs analyst, said that Nigeria should retaliate against countries treating its citizens with disrespect.

He said: “It is not only Britain; Nigerians are being expelled from even Kenya and South Africa.

“In international relations, there is what is called Rule of Reciprocity. Nigeria should start retaliation against some of these countries,” Ogunye urged.