Update On The £3,000 UK Visa Bond - FG Warns British Government Of Retaliation

The Federal Government has issued a warning to the British government that it would opt for a retaliatory measure if its proposed £3,000 visa bond is implemented. Nigeria was said to have made this known during a private meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru and British High Commissioner, Andrew Pocock, in Abuja yesterday, Tuesday.

The Federal Government summoned Pocock over the policy which it said was capable of harming the existing cordial relationship between the two countries. Nigeria is one of the six countries whose nationals would be required to pay the £3,000 bond under a proposed policy that will take effect in November. The others are India, Bangledish, Ghana, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It was gathered that Pocock  admitted at the meeting with Ashiru that the UK  planned to introduce the financial bond as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system but added that no final decision has been made.

Ashiru, who was said to have recalled the days when nationals of Commonwealth traveled freely to the UK and other member states, expressed displeasure over the policy which he described as not only “discriminatory but capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family.” He asked him to think about the implications a retaliatory measure would have on the two countries. The minister stressed that Nigeria might also impose £3,000 visa bond on British nationals coming into the country too.

After the meeting, the ministry issued a statement in which it recalled “the strong historical bonds between the peoples of the various countries who were all regarded at that time as Commonwealth citizens. It further “recalled that this time-honored practice was unilaterally jettisoned by the UK in 1985, thereby weakening the bonds of the Commonwealth family.” In a statement by  the spokesperson for the ministry, Ogbole Ode, Ashiru told the British envoy that; 

The proposed policy would definitely negate the joint commitment by Prime Minister David Cameron and President Goodluck Jonathan to double the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries by 2014. The decision of the UK government is coming at the time the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have unanimously recommended for adoption at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November 2013, a proposal to  remove visa requirements for holders of official and diplomatic passports from member states. 

The Federal Government has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interests of Nigerians, who may be affected by it (policy), if finally introduced. The minister informed the British High Commissioner that the Federal Government values the very cordial relations and strategic partnership between the two countries and would not want the introduction of any new policy to affect these cherished relations.” 

In  its own  statement, the British High Commission reiterated that details of the policy were  still being worked out. 

“No final decision has been made, if the plan were to go ahead in Nigeria, it would affect only a very small number of the highest risk visitors. The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa.

 

“Let me put this in perspective. Over 180,000 Nigerians apply to visit the UK each year. About 70 per cent  or around 125,000, of those applicants are successful. Travel between our two countries is a key part of our strong cultural and business relationship. Financial bonds would be focused on only a tiny minority of potential abusers. It would not be a “£3,000 visa charge” as some media reporting has alleged. 

As soon as more details of the policy have been decided, we will inform the Nigerian government and public fully and officially, in the spirit of our long standing friendship, and our wish to help bona fide Nigerian visitors to work, study or do business in the UK.”

Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi  Falana, has said he had contacted some human rights lawyers in the UK  to challenge the  proposed  policy  when  passed by the British parliament.

“We will  challenge the British government under their own Human Rights Act  and  European Human Rights convention. The law does not allow the UK  to target the nationals of any particular country for extortion. The Federal Government must also be prepared to retaliate in like manner  if the policy is allowed by the British government,’’ Falana said.

Source: Punch