From Olukayode Idowu
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has listed the eight countries which require that it gives a mandatory visa clearance to those intending to travel to their land.
The countries are: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Philipines and Russia.
The NDLEA disclosed the name of the countries to debunk claims that it was introducing a levy to belabour travelers, insisting that the requirement from the eight countries was not new as it has been in existence for 24 years.
A statement on Wednesday by Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said: “The attention of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has been drawn to some misinformation and misconceptions about a 24-year-old visa clearance policy, which requires Nigerians travelling to some countries to meet certain requirements before getting clearance from the NDLEA.
“The anti-drug law enforcement agency wishes to state as follows: that the policy was not newly created to impose levies on Nigerians travelling abroad but has been in existence for over 24 years.”
He added that: “The policy does not apply to all Nigerians seeking to travel overseas but only those travelling to eight countries, usually referred to as ‘source countries’. The countries include: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Philipines and Russia.”
He said the policy was at the behest of the ‘source countries’, and not that of the NDLEA or Nigeria, and was designed as part of global efforts to fight the menace of drug trafficking.
He noted that the requirements for the visa clearance being mischiveously circulated on social media are just a part of a three-page document, which provides other detailed information on the policy.
He said: “Nigerians can rest assured that NDLEA remains committed to its core goal of ridding Nigeria of illicit drugs and will not deviate from its constitutionally assigned duties.”