Nigeria Immigration Service nabs two Togolese with PVCs in Osun

AUTHORITIES of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Osun State command have arrested two Togolese, claiming to be Nigerians for allegedly attempting to use Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to open bank accounts in Osogbo.

Making this disclosure during a press briefing on Tuesday at the state headquarters of NIS in Osogbo, the Comptroller of Immigration Service in the state, Mr Idowu Adebowale hinted that the two foreigners and others currently at large were apprehended by his men attached to the office of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

He explained that the two foreigners were allegedly accompanied by one individual simply identified as Jay Jay to the office of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Osogbo when they were sighted by men of the NIS.

According to Adebowale, “the duo wanted to use the PVCs to open bank accounts, an act unknown to them as unlawful. They were apprehended on Monday when one of them called Jay Jay came with two others to NIMC office in Osogbo. The Immigration officer detected that they were not behaving like Nigerians which led to further interrogation. They were able to say the truth that they are Togolese, but have been living in Nigeria.”

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While stating that the suspects were five, the immigration boss said his command was still on the trail of others who have escaped.

Adebowale, however, cautioned financial institutions, educational institutions and other relevant agencies to be wary of some foreigners, who may want to use illegally obtained Nigerian documents for transactions in banks and other public institutions.

One of the arrested suspects, identified as Jide Ayo, who is 35 years old, bearing Aziku Jay Jay on his voter’s card claimed that he was born in Ede, explaining that he was given the PVC when he wanted to vote during past election.

He said that “I was given voters card when I wanted to vote. I took my friend to where I collected it when he wanted to save money in bank and the bank requested for it. We don’t know that it was a crime for foreigners to collect it. We were born in Ede, Osun State. Our parents are Togolese, we have been living in Osun State since our birth and we also bear Yoruba name.”