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Visa On Arrival: Immigration To Begin Special Screening Of Kenyans, Libyans, Somalis, Others
There are strong indications that the Nigeria Immigration Service will begin special screening of visitors entering the country from Kenya, Libya, Somalia and other African countries that are battling terrorism.
This, according to findings, is in line with the Federal Government’s announcement of a new policy that permits other Africans to get visa on arrival in Nigeria, beginning January 2020.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), on Wednesday at the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa, held in Cairo, Egypt, announced the new visa regime for Africans.
“We in Nigeria have already taken the strategic decision to bring down barriers that have hindered the free movement of our people within the continent by introducing the issuance of visa at the point of entry into Nigeria to all persons holding passports of African countries with effect from January 2020,” he said.
The Federal Government last year announced visa on arrival policy for selected categories of people.
Over 2,000 of such visas were given to potential investors at Nigeria’s main airport in Lagos in July.
The government has also been considering new types of visas for applicants.
However, top immigration officials at NIS headquarters in Abuja told Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that the service would begin the special screening of visitors/passengers coming into the country through airports and land borders from countries battling insurgency or have become transit points for terrorists.
According to immigration officials at Lagos and Abuja airports, some of the countries that have issues relating to insurgency whose citizens or residents may be subjected to strict screening include Kenya, Somalia and Libya.
A top immigration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter explained, “With this new visa regime, we are going to pay special attention to visitors and passengers coming from countries that have issues with insurgency or terrorism. These include Kenya, Libya, Somalia and others.
“Before now, we have an online visa application which visitors from mostly African countries and others outside Africa must fill and submit online. When they get here, we still screen them before we issue them visa and allow them in.”
The official further said, “But some are taking advantage of the visa on arrival to come for other activities such as tourism and church activities. This is because sometimes, they find it difficult to get approval from embassies.
“The majority of people coming are Chinese citizens and other church worshippers who come to Synagogue Church in Lagos. Most of those who come for religious tourism are from Africa. They come in large numbers, especially from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda and a few other African nations. They come strictly for church-related programmes.
“But we carry out extra checks on those from countries like Syria due to terrorism and others in Africa such as Libya. We also scrutinise Kenyans, but the majority of those who come to Nigeria are for church-related purposes.
“They go through security checks and we have a stop list that guides us. On entering Nigeria, the system will alert us of a suspected terrorist because we already have their names with us. The system is installed at the airport. When any Kenyan comes, he goes through the security checks to ensure he/she is clean. We send back inadmissible persons. But with this new regime, security screening will increase.”
According to another top official, the 1975 Protocol on Free Movement created the platform for interaction among West Africans, East Africa, Central Africa and North Africa.
On how prepared the NIS is for the new visa regime, another immigration official said, “We will soon get a formal directive through a circular on the matter from Abuja.
“However, we have taken proactive steps to handle whatever traffic by expanding our operations in the D and E arrivals to accommodate more foreign migrants at the Lagos airport, which is our flagship airport.”
Online visa application no longer compulsory for Africans
The NIS said it was no longer compulsory for other Africans visiting Nigeria to submit an online visa application before coming to Nigeria, following the announcement of the new visa regime.
Explaining the development, the spokesperson for the NIS, Mr Sunday James, said, “Visa on arrival is not free; the one for Africans is given the priority of being issued at the point of entry after due diligent clearance without prior application until they get to the entry point.
“It is a liberalised process worth commending the Federal Government for, an uncommon approach to immigration diplomacy in integrating African nationals.”
The immigration spokesman, however, explained that although it was no longer compulsory for African visitors to apply online before coming into the country, those interested in applying online could still do so.
James explained that the NIS was going to tighten the noose on immigrants in the coming days as it stepped up efforts to implement Buhari’s directive.
The NIS said visiting Africans would be subjected to tight security clearance and airport protocol, noting that each visitor would undergo passport validity verification, watch list checks, suspect index, wanted list records, Interpol diffusion record and risk analysis index.
The spokesman stated, “The issue of online application is a matter of choice for Africans. On arrival at the entry point, they will be subjected to immigration security clearance, which includes passport validity verification, checks on a watch list, suspect index, wanted list records, Interpol diffusion record and risk analysis index, all in an effort to step up national security.
“So, visa on arrival at the point of entry is not the way people think; nobody can infiltrate and enter the country without proper security clearance and checks. The NIS is statutorily ready to tighten security at entry points while imbibing international best practices.”
Experts react
A retired Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, lauded the policy, saying it would engender transparent visa processing while making it easier to monitor foreigners in the country.
He said, “It is a laudable idea; it would make it easier to know those visiting the country and thus boost national security.”
A security specialist, Kabir Adamu, said he was in support of a more transparent and beneficial visa regime, noting that a lot of countries practised a transparent system that Nigeria was trying to imbibe now.
He called for enhanced capacity for NIS personnel and modern technology to ensure that those who constituted security risks did not enter the country.
Lagos airport receives over 200 foreigners daily –Official
Meanwhile, an official of the NIS at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos said the flagship airport received about 200 foreigners every day.
These, he said, included Africans and other citizens of the world.
“Not too sure, I will need to confirm the statistics, but in some days, we have an average of 200 foreigners that come in daily through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The visa on arrival is meant for genuine business people to ease business transactions in the country,” the source said.
The immigration spokesman on Friday said Buhari gave the directive to ensure the country broke the barrier and also integrate the “African brothers.”
“Ideally, we are supposed to be a united black nation, but most times when our people want to travel to other African nations, they have this problem of obtaining visas, so the government has decided that on its own, it is going to demystify that bottleneck so that any African coming to Nigeria does not need to apply for visa in their country before coming. At the point of entry, the immigration officer should be able to carry out his check and issue him the visa for a fee without delay,” he said.
On how many Africans visit the country on a daily or yearly basis, a top immigration official said, “We have various land border posts in Lagos, Cross River, Borno, Oyo, Zamfara and other states. So, it won’t be easy to collate all these statistics in a go.”
On preparedness for the implementation of the new visa on arrival policy, which is about two weeks away, the official said, “I can assure Nigerians that the service has never joked with any government policy. We will implement it to the letter. It was just like when they started ECOWAS, people did not believe it would survive.”
The Comptroller-General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede, had on Friday, said the visa on arrival policy for all Africans announced by Buhari would not compromise national security.
He explained that the policy was meant to accelerate African integration and bring down barriers that hindered the free movement of people within the continent.
He said, “The visa on arrival at the point of entry is an effort to accelerate African integration. Nigeria’s strategic decision is taken to bring down barriers that have hindered the free movement of our people within the continent by introducing the visa at the point of entry into Nigeria with effect from January 2020.”
A statement by the NIS spokesman noted, “The Comptroller-General of Immigration is assuring Nigerians of the service’s commitment to ensuring high-level professional ethics in delivering the services without compromising national security.”
Leaders of the Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu-Ode have reaffirmed their commitment toward producing the next Awujale of Ijebuland, stating that the family is united in achieving this goal.
The ruling house warned against alleged attempts to frustrate it from exercising what it described as its lawful turn in succession to the exalted throne.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at the age of 91, after a 65-year reign.
The leaders spoke over the weekend following an enlarged meeting of princes and princesses of the ruling house held at Ile Nla in the ancient town of Ijebu-Ode.
The meeting was convened to deliberate on the stalled selection process for a successor to the late Oba Adetona. It was co-chaired by Otunba Abdulateef Adebayo Owoyemi, Chairman/Head of the Fusengbuwa ruling house; Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba, Deputy Chairman; and Fassy Yusuf, Vice Chairman.
The leadership briefed members drawn from various branches of the ruling house on developments surrounding the succession process and the legal steps being taken to address the delay.
Members were briefed on the rationale behind the lawsuit filed against Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, nine Awujale kingmakers, and other defendants, seeking orders to compel the conclusion of the selection process.
At the conclusion of the meeting, members endorsed decisions previously taken by the ruling house leadership and expressed renewed confidence in its ability to guide the family through the succession process.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Owoyemi, a former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), said the gathering was primarily aimed at updating members on the stalled process and explaining the measures being taken to protect the ruling house’s interests.
“The meeting was called to update and brief members of the Fusengbuwa ruling house about the stalled selection process for the next Awujale and the steps we have taken to address the issue. The large attendance is a testament to our unity. The house is united. Princes and princesses came from Lagos and other places. They supported our decisions and have confidence in our leadership,” Owoyemi said.
Owoyemi alleged that certain individuals were working to frustrate the ruling house’s efforts, warning that such actions were intended to undermine the family’s eligibility.
“Our enemies are those who want to spoil things so that they can claim our ruling house cannot produce the next Awujale,” he said.
The leadership maintained that the court action aims to ensure the established selection process is completed, granting the Fusengbuwa family its legitimate turn in the succession line.
Leaders urged members to remain calm, focused, and united while legal proceedings continue.
The suit, filed at the High Court in Ijebu-Ode, names several high-profile defendants alongside Governor Abiodun, including Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN; the Ogun State Executive Council; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Ganiyu Hamzat; Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Dare Alebiosu; the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government; and members of the Awujale Afobaje (Kingmakers) Council, including Olorogun Sonny Kuku and Chief Rasheed Adesanya.
The “Awujale” is the official royal title of the traditional monarch and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, an influential historic Yoruba kingdom in southwestern Nigeria.
Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona (Ogbagba II) ascended the throne on April 2, 1960, at age 25. He ruled for 65 years until his passing on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91. He is widely remembered for modernising and popularising the global Ojude Oba Festival.
Under the 1957 Customary Law Declaration, the throne rotates sequentially among four recognised houses: Gbelegbuwa, Anikinaiya (the late monarch’s house), Fusengbuwa (next in line), and Fidipote.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House nominated candidates to select a successor, but the Ogun State Government halted the process following procedural disputes and petitions.
In response, Fusengbuwa leadership, headed by Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, filed a suit at the Ogun State High Court against Governor Abiodun and local kingmakers to compel the completion of the selection process.
Nigeria has facilitated the safe return of former Sierra Leone President Ernest Koroma to the country, following more than two years of temporary relocation to Nigeria.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who accompanied Koroma to Freetown on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu, said his return marked the successful conclusion of a regional diplomatic and confidence-building process.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Koroma’s relocation to Nigeria in January 2024 followed engagements by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed at promoting peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone.
According to her, the process helped create conditions for greater understanding between President Julius Maada Bio and the former president, paving the way for Koroma’s temporary stay in Nigeria.
“His conduct throughout this period reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome,” the minister said, according to the statement issued by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.
The minister noted that during his stay in Nigeria, sustained engagements involving ECOWAS, the Nigerian Government and other stakeholders contributed to resolving issues that had necessitated his relocation.
She expressed appreciation to President Bio, former President Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone for their cooperation and commitment to peace.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria remained committed to regional harmony, constitutional order and democratic stability, expressing confidence that Koroma’s return would further strengthen national reconciliation and peace in Sierra Leone.
Koroma had left for Nigeria in 2024, days after being charged with treason and other offences over a deadly 2023 army uprising.
The ex-president, who led Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018, arrived at the international airport in the capital, Freetown, accompanied by Nigerian ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and the minister.
He was welcomed by Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray and officials from Koroma’s party, the opposition All People’s Congress (APC).
“Today I have come back home and I’m happy,” Koroma told journalists, smiling.
Koroma had been cleared by Sierra Leonean authorities to travel to Nigeria for three months for medical treatment but ended up staying more than two years.
In July, Sierra Leone’s justice ministry said it had dropped the charges against him, without giving a reason.
On Friday, Vice President Mohamed Jukdeh Jalloh told a gathering of local leaders and residents in Koroma’s stronghold, the central city of Makeni, that the ex-leader was returning home.
His homecoming comes ahead of presidential elections set for 2028.
The case against Koroma dates to November 2023, when armed attackers stormed a military armoury, two barracks, two prisons and two police stations, clashing with security forces.
Twenty-one people were killed in what authorities deemed a coup attempt.
Two dozen soldiers and Koroma’s former bodyguard were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 50 to 100 years by a military court for their alleged roles in the mutiny.
Koroma had briefly visited Sierra Leone in July, after the charges were dropped, during a summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the invitation of current President Julius Maada Bio.
At least five people were killed when an Amazon cargo plane overshot a runway after it landed Sunday at Miami International Airport, crashed into vehicles and caught fire, officials said.
Miami-Dade County fire chief Ray Jadallah told reporters that in addition to five fatalities, three people were transported to trauma centers “in critical condition” and two more were treated at a local hospital.
“The airplane did strike a couple of vehicles,” which left “a couple of victims that were actually trapped in the vehicles,” Jadallah said.
“A complex extrication with our technical rescue team” was needed, “including a search and rescue of the pilot and co-pilot that were trapped in this aircraft.”
Jadallah did not clarify whether the pilot or co-pilot survived, and officials declined to answer questions after brief statements were made.
Video showed thick smoke billowing from the blue and white Boeing 767 after it arrived at 1:58 pm (1758 GMT) from Puerto Rico, as fire trucks raced to the scene.
Officials investigate the scene where a Prime Air cargo plane overran the runway and crashed into other vehicles at Miami International Airport at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, on September 6, 2026.
The plane operating as Prime Air Flight 7598 caught fire as a result of the “crash,” fire officials said.
“A total of 60 fire apparatuses arrived, just short, just shy of 200 men and women from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, to begin the actual search and rescue and firefighting,” Jadallah said.
“The actual cause of the incident will be determined by the FAA and the NTSB,” he added, referring to the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.
In a statement posted to X Sunday evening, fire officials said they used foam to extinguish a fire in the engine compartment.
“One person was trapped under one of the involved vehicles and had to be extricated by specialized technical rescue personnel. Specialized hazardous materials (HazMat) units safely shut down the aircraft’s engine and worked to control a fuel leak,” the statement said.
Investigation Launched
The NTSB said in an X post on Sunday that the B-767-300 cargo airplane was flying into Miami from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and they have “launched a go team to investigate Sunday’s runway excursion accident.”
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement the tech giant will cooperate with any investigation into the incident.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss,” Nantel said.
Miami Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz told reporters Sunday that her officers encountered a “really tragic scene,” but there was “no apparent threat to public safety.”
The airport closed all runways and taxiways because of the incident and posted an update to its website Sunday evening that travelers should check directly with their airline before heading to the airport.
After hours of holding all flights at the international airport Sunday, with numerous delays and canceled flights for commercial airline passengers, the Miami Herald newspaper reported that two of the airport’s four runways had reopened Sunday.
In a statement on X, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava thanked first responders for their speedy response, saying “our fire rescue team was there within seconds of the crash, so we’re deeply grateful.”
AFP
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