FBI list: FG to collaborate with US, UK, others on tougher visa conditions ― Modibbo

Nigerians anxious to relocate outside the country have a tough challenge ahead of them as the Federal Government has vowed to discourage migration outside the country.

Director-General of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, (NFIU) Tukur Modibbo gave the hint on Tuesday while speaking at a workshop aimed at encouraging citizens participation in combating illicit financial flows.

In attendance at the event organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation, the Human Environmental Developmental Agenda, (HEDA) were delegates from over six English speaking West African countries, including Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.

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Modibbo said Nigeria was embarrassed by the recent list of 77 Nigerians indicted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation for participating in a massive conspiracy to steal millions of dollars through a variety of fraud schemes.

According to reports, the indictment alleged that the Nigerians and others used various online fraud schemes, including Business Email compromise (BEC) frauds, romance scams, and schemes targeting the elderly – to defraud victims out of millions of dollars.

The Presidency at the weekend described the 77 suspects on FBI list as double damage on the country, noting that the federal government was currently working with international organizations and Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, to stop internet fraud.

Tukur said Nigerians would open discussion with foreign nations to set tough conditions before granting a visa to its nationals as he claimed that those relocating outside the country give a scandalous reason of political turmoil in the country to seek asylum in Europe.

He also cited the insurgency in the Northeast region in the country and militancy in the Niger Delta as some of the reasons being advanced by desperate Nigerians to seek asylum.

He said:” We want Nigerians to be hardworking and stay at home. We are involved in collaborative efforts with immigration and foreign nations to check migration outside the country.

“The Northeast insurgency is restricted to a section of the country and you can’t use it to seek a visa. The militancy in the Niger Delta region is another reason they use.”

“We are working on that, we are working on that assiduously.

You go and degrade yourselves by working as a factory worker when you can do decent jobs at home. There is nothing stopping young Nigerians from going into farming, it is profitable and we all know there is dignity in labour.”

In a veiled reference to the recent physical attack on the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany by the outlawed separatist group, the Independent People of Biafra, (IPOB) the NFIU DG, dismissed the IPOB as self seeking individuals as he declared that the southeast region was well integrated in the Nigerian federation. He revealed that the government was not comfortable with those using tribal platforms to embarrass Nigeria outside her shores.

“Those agitating, outside the shores of the country, what is their motive? They have representatives in the national assembly and the government. There are minority tribes whose population aren’t up to 1,000 yet they aren’t creating confusion.”

Tukur further revealed that while Nigeria was anxious to repatriate her citizens indicted in financial fraud, it was equally determined to extradite nationals of other countries involved in illegal businesses in the country. He specifically cited Chinese whom he alleged were involved in illegal mining operations in certain states in the country.

“We have started compiling records of Chinese and other Asian companies doing illegal mining.

Just as we are fighting to bring Nigerians involved in shady deals to justice, we shall move against foreign nationals.

There are Asian companies hiding under the guise of being construction companies who do illegal mining in this country.”

In his keynote address, Ambassador Yemi Dipeolu lauded the initiative of the NFIU in combating movement of illicit funds as he noted that corruption was inimical to national growth.