Bill on withdrawal of convict’s passport for 10 years scales second reading  

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

A the Bill to amend the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. P343 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, has scaled 2nd speechmaking successful the Senate. 

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When passed into law, it would show work “on our portion to discourage the perpetration of transgression by our citizens, and to redeem the representation of our country.”

The measure proposes withdrawal of the passport from a convict for 10 years.

According to the sponsor, the projected amendment to the extant Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act is imperative and compelling successful that it is simply a veritable enactment to efficaciously redeem the tarnished representation of the state successful the eyes of the planetary community.

Also, it volition enact a beardown disincentive for the committee of crimes by Nigerians crossed planetary jurisdictions. 

He said that the committee of crimes by Nigerians successful overseas jurisdictions has dealt a crashing stroke to the estimation and representation of Nigeria, and “is causing america stupendous disgrace successful the diplomatic assemblage and successful planetary transits”.

“It projects Nigerians arsenic personae non grata to whom overseas visas are restricted oregon denied, with antagonistic effect to our nationalist interest,” helium added.

In his pb statement connected the General principles of the Bill, Senator Ogoshi Onawo (PDP, Nasarawa South) said: “Countries similar China, Turkey, Canada, France, Egypt, Germany, Ethiopia, South Africa, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, among others, which are destinations of involvement to our citizens, use stringent visa rules to Nigerians.

“A large crushed for the visa regularisation is the important committee of crimes and condemnation of Nigerian successful those countries. 

“Though profiles of crimes by Nigerians successful overseas countries are protected for quality rights reasons, arsenic Chairman of the Senate Committee connected Foreign Affairs, and being privy to the issues successful the diplomatic community, the detriment of specified crimes to our overseas affairs, the harm to our bilateral and multilateral interests, and the dent to our representation and integrity, I americium convinced, that it is incumbent upon america arsenic a state to enactment and show work to ending the indulgence of our citizens successful crimes anyplace successful the world. 

“As a effect of the wounded to the integrity of our state from crimes by our citizens successful overseas jurisdictions, guiltless and patriotic Nigerians endure harassment successful planetary transits, denial and hardship successful visa applications, favoritism and antagonistic stereotype successful societal dealings, costs and distress.

“The greenish passport is wide discountenanced and the sovereign pridefulness it intrinsically bears has severely diminished.

“That is thing little than a authorities of emergency! 

“The legislature is mandated, nether Section 4 of the Constitution, with lawmaking for the peace, bid and bully governance of Nigeria.

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the extant instrumentality connected Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act is good, but bully is the force of better.

“It would bash amended if amended with provisions that enforce an other furniture of deterrents to the committee of transgression by our citizens successful overseas countries.

“It would show work connected our portion to discourage the perpetration of transgression by our citizens and to redeem the representation of our country. 

“This Bill, therefore, seeks to amend the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. P343 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to supply for measures towards preserving the representation of Nigerians portion overseas and the Federal Republic of Nigeria globally. 

“The accusation of the projected amendment is that wherever a Nigerian commits immoderate (of the foregoing) offences successful a overseas state and is convicted for the crime, the passport of the convict would beryllium withdrawn for 10 years.

“This measurement serves arsenic a veritable deterrent to the committee of transgression successful a overseas country. 

“This projected amendment volition redeem, sphere and elevate the representation and integrity of our beloved country.

“It is besides an accidental for america to show our committedness to bully governance and stance against cri...