NDLEA on Monday dispelled claims about delayed and frustrating handling of drug clearance certificate by a teenage visa applicant, Godwin Akpan, in a video.
Mr Akpan’s video went viral on Monday and the NDLEA issued him with the drugs clearance certificate the same day.
Mr Akpan, an indigene of Akwa Ibom, had said in the video that he won an Indian government scholarship to study law and Philosophy in India, but needed a clearance certificate from NDLEA that he was not into drugs.
He said he bought a clearance form from the NDLEA for N20,000 more than two weeks ago, but that the agency kept tossing him between its Akwa Ibom, Abuja and Lagos offices to give him the clearance.
He said he was on the verge of losing the scholarship award and appealed to Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and other kind-hearted Nigerians to come to his rescue.
Dismissing the claims, Commander of the NDLEA in Akwa Ibom, Obot Bassey, said Mr Akpan eventually got the clearance at NDLEA Lagos office on Monday, Oct. 11.
In a statement issued by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in Abuja, Mrs Bassey said NDLEA had called Mr Akpan more than five days ago that the clearance certificate was ready for collection.
She stressed that NDLEA wished to correct some misconceptions created by the video posted by Mr Akpan.
According to Mrs Bassey, the agency’s visa clearance system remains an important instrument and continues to serve as a strong deterrent for aspiring drug dealers from obtaining visas from countries that have subscribed to the scheme.
“These countries are sources or gateway countries for illicit drugs. The visa programme, as a preventive measure, draws voluntary participation from foreign missions in Nigeria with the consent of their home countries.
“The participating missions make the NDLEA Visa Clearance Certificate an additional requirement for Nigerian visa applicants who wish to obtain entry visas.
“The issuance of a Clearance Certificate by the agency, however, is not a guarantee and does not convey any assurance that visa will be issued to the applicant, but remains a valid additional requirement,’’ she said.
Mrs Bassey added that the agency usually collected personal information from applicants and demanded for two credible sureties from them.
She added that the agency also carried out background checks before clearance was issued.
“Countries that have willingly subscribed to the visa clearance scheme include Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, India, Singapore and Thailand among others.
“The policy is meant for persons travelling to the `source countries’ notorious for drug trafficking.
“The policy was not initiated by the Nigerian government, but at the behest of the source countries. It is a counter measure at curbing transnational drug crimes,’’ she said.
Mrs Bassey said that it was pertinent to inform the public that visa clearance proceedings at the NDLEA takes three weeks to conclude.
She added that in the case of Akpan, he obtained the form from the NDLEA, Akwa Ibom Command on Sept. 1, and submitted same on Sept. 21.
“And without completing the application, he set out for the Indian embassy in Abuja, was denied access; he left for the embassy in Lagos and was also denied access.
“While in Lagos, he was directed to NDLEA, Akwa Ibom State Command for the visa clearance certificate.
“Information gathered from Akpan indicates that he received his letter of admission on Aug. 8.
“He submitted the last of his requirement on Sept. 21 after which investigation and verification was commenced by the Akwa-Ibom Command.
“Counting down from Sept. 21 to date, it adds up to only two weeks and two days, away from the stipulated three weeks.
“More so, information from the boy’s video indicates that he went to Abuja and Lagos respectively without the knowledge of NDLEA, Akwa Ibom Command.
“While Godwin was busy misinforming the public on Facebook, his file was being processed at the visa clearance department, Lagos,’’ Mrs Bassey stressed.
Mrs Bassey noted that NDLEA was a Federal Government agency mandated to rid the country of illicit drugs and its attendant consequences.
She said that the agency was committed to its core mandate and would never deviate from its constitutional assignment.
“It is a thing of joy to the agency in particular and the nation at large when her youths pursue the right paths like this young man and not dabble into drug activities.
“NDLEA will never frustrate the future of any youth, but instead will always try to salvage it when they go astray,’’ Mrs Bassey said in the statement.
NAN
