The United Kingdom has aborted its plan to place a £3,000 bond on Nigerians seeking entry to the country, a spokesman for Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry told Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday.

The Sunday Times of London had quoted UK Home Secretary Theresa May as saying that a pilot scheme that would target visitors from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Ghana would take off in November under which travellers from those countries would pay a cash deposit of £3,000 to deter immigration abuse. They will forfeit the money if they overstay their visas.

But when contacted for comments yesterday, spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Abuja, Mr Ode Ogbole, replied with text message saying: "It's been rescinded". He did not give further details and did not answer subsequent telephone calls.

Another official of the ministry who chose to remain anonymous also told Daily Trust that a message from the UK government rescinding the plan had been sent to the Presidency.

Earlier yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru told journalists at the ministerial platform commemorating the mid-term anniversary of the Jonathan administration that no official communication had been received from the British government by Nigeria on the subject.

He assured Nigerians of government's readiness to defend and protect them all over the world but urged them to always conduct themselves in a manner that will portray Nigeria in good image.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee has described the proposed UK entry bond as discriminatory and unacceptable.

"This is totally discriminatory and unacceptable. It is targeted to non-white Commonwealth. We would take a critical look at the policy as it affects Nigerians and come up with a way forward," committee chairman Rep. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP Abia) said in a statement.

"We agreed totally with the UK Foreign Minister that the policy is totally unworkable and impractical. It is contrary to the commitment made to our President by David Cameron during their last meeting. We believe it is for political reason ahead of general election. We seek that our long historical relationship should take precedence over political expediency," Ukeje said.

Austine Odo, Romoke W. Ahmad, Abbas Jimoh and Musa Abdullahi Krishi

Are you sure?

I just fell in love with NIGERIA again #drops travelling bag

Kudos to Dr Gbenga Ashiru, Foreign affairs Minister. He has really demonstrated his desire to stop the illegal exploitation of Nigerians by these countries. If we had his type since, millions of Nigerians unjustly killed in many countries would have been alive today.

[size=15pt]God bless Dr Gbenga Ashiru !!![/size]

Hope this is true? Well, it is people carrying Nigerian passport that will have to cough out the money sha...wetin me wan go do beside visit for a few days before returning to my real home sef??

Oh BTW, if it was the former minister Ojo Maduekwe, you can be sure he will be negotiating for #4,000 and asking for his own 50% cut! Maduekwe and his ilk is the reason Nigeria has been run aground for years! Until a leader like Fashola is elected president, all the uselessness of running abroad will not stop! See how everyone is now traveling to Lagos? This is how people will be travelling to Abuja, SW and other parts of Nigeria when a leadership that's got a clue what to do is elected! Anyway, we will see what happens eventually!

It appears the Daily Trust report was rather preemptive.

Nigeria’s Minister, British Envoy’s Meeting Fails To Stop Imposition Of 3,000 Pounds Cash Bond On Nigerian Immigrants …As UK Insists On Enforcing Policy

[img]http://ireports-ng.com/wp-content/themes/goodnews47/framework/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://ireports-ng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/British-flag.jpeg&h=275&w=599&zc=1[/img]

The meeting called between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock over the proposal by the UK Government to impose a 3,000 Pounds ‘’cash bond’’ on first-time visa applicants from Nigeria, and other selected countries of the Commonwealth, which are regarded as “High Risk” countries failed to stop the country’s former colonial master from implementing the discriminatory policy as the British envoy insisted that his home government was going ahead with it.

Nigerians have roundly condemned the policy widely reported by the local media, as a result of which the federal government through the foreign affairs Minister summoned the British envoy for a meeting today. In his account of what happened at the meeting the Minister said the UK envoy agreed to convey the country’s displeasure over the policy but in his own minutes of the same meeting the envoy through a statement signed by Rob Fitzpatrick, Head of Media and Public Affairs section said his home government was going ahead with the policy as a deterrent for immigrants who abuse the terms of their visas.

According to Amb Ashiru’s own account “the meeting which was held at the Tafawa Balewa House, the Honourable Minister expressed the strong displeasure of the government and people of Nigeria over the policy, which he described as not only discriminatory but also capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family. The Honourable Minister recalled with nostalgia, the times when nationals of the Commonwealth travelled freely to the UK and to other member states. This, no doubt, deepened the strong historical bonds between the peoples of the various countries who were all regarded at that time as Commonwealth citizens. He further recalled that this time-honoured practice was unilaterally jettisoned by the UK Government in 1985, thereby weakening the bonds of the Commonwealth family.

“The Honourable Minister further opined that the proposed policy would definitely negate the joint commitment by Prime Minister David Cameron and President Goodluck Jonathan to double the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries by 2014, just as it would hinder people-to-people contacts, which is one of the cardinal principles of the Commonwealth.

“Ambassador Ashiru pointed out that the decision of the UK Government is coming at the time the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have unanimously recommended for adoption at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) holding in Colombo, Sri Lanka in November 2013, a proposal to remove visa requirements for holders of Official and Diplomatic Passports from member states. The Honourable Minister, therefore, called on the UK Government to reconsider the proposed policy, which is incompatible with the strong and cordial relations built over the years between the UK and Nigeria. He however informed the British High Commissioner that the Federal Government of Nigeria has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who may be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced.”

While trying to soften the position of the UK envoy, the Minister quoted Pocock’s response as saying that the High Commissioner assured the Nigerian government of conveying her protest to the home government. According to Amb Ashiru “Mr. Pocock confirmed that the policy was still being developed and expressed regret that the yet-to-be announced policy was leaked to the media as the modality for its implementation has not been worked out. He confirmed that some elements in the report are correct and the policy, could, indeed, affect a few Nigerians, especially first time visa applicants. He further clarified that the proposed cash bond is not a general visa fee payable by all applicants. He, nonetheless, assured the Honourable Minister that the views and concerns of the Nigerian people and government would be conveyed to Her Majesty’s Government.

“In conclusion, the Honourable Minister informed the British High Commissioner that the Federal Government values the very cordial relations and strategic partnership between the two countries and would not want the introduction of any new policy to affect these cherished relations.” But in his own account of discussions at the meeting, Pocock said “In response to speculation in the press regarding the possible implementation of ‘visa bonds’ for Nigerian visa applicants to the UK, High Commissioner Dr Andrew Pocock met with Foreign Minister Ashiru on 25 June.

“Following that meeting High Commissioner Dr Andrew Pocock said: I welcome the chance to set out the facts on so called “visa bonds. The British Government has announced that it intends to undertake a very small scale trial of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system (which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms).

“The details of a pilot scheme are still being worked out. No final decision has been made. If the pilot were to go ahead in Nigeria it would affect only a very small number of the highest risk visitors. The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa.

“Let me put this in perspective. Over 180,000 Nigerians apply to visit the UK each year. About 70% or around 125,000, of those applicants are successful. Travel between our two countries is a key part of our strong cultural and business relationship. Financial bonds would be focussed on only a tiny minority of potential abusers. It would NOT be a “£3000 visa charge” as some media reporting has alleged.

“As soon as more details of the policy have been decided, we will inform the Nigerian Government and public fully and officially, in the spirit of our long standing friendship, and our wish to help bona fide Nigerian visitors to work, study or do business in the United Kingdom.”

Source

Chai!! This news just dey pain me!!!
I really wanted them to try that bond shit and be demystified by the after effects as travellers switch to less "stressful" climes. The opposition party in parliament to me have saved the government from shooting itself in the leg.