The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has announced that it strictly follows laid down rules and international best practices in its handling of visa clearance applications. 

The Agency said it is important to make this clarification, following recent claims by a teenage applicant, Akpan Goodhead Godwin on a video that has gone viral on social and conventional media. 

The applicant, Mr Akpan, in the viral video had accused NDLEA of deliberately stalling his application for some reasons. 

Although the applicant finally collected the clearance documents on Monday, 11th of October, 2021 at the Lagos office of the Agency, five days after he was called that his papers were ready for collection, the Agency said it wishes to correct some impressions and misconceprions created by the video allegedly shared by Mr Akpan. 

The Agency Commander, Akwa Ibom State, where the application originally emanated from, Mrs Obot Bassey had issued a statement on Friday, 9th of September to address the issues. Mrs Obot Bassey, denied claims that the Agency was hindering the applicant's trip to India to study law on scholarship, by denying him visa clearance. 

That statement reads in part: "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 source 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 from these countries.

“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. The Agency usually collects personal information from the applicants, demands for two credible sureties from the applicants and carries out background checks before clearance is issued. Countries that have willingly subscribed to the visa clearance scheme include Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, India, Singapore, Thailand amongst others. 

“The policy is meant for persons travelling to the above mentioned 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.

The Agency stated that contrary to the half truths and outright lies in the video, Mr Akpan collected the visa requirement and other forms from the Akwa Ibom State Command on September 1. He returned to NDLEA, Akwa Ibom State Command on the 20th September 2021 to apply, along with relevant documents. Then it was discovered that his documents were incomplete and he left NDLEA and returned with his completed documents on the 21st September. 

“Investigations were concluded on the 23rd of September, 2021 and forwarded to the Visa Clearance Department, Ikoyi, Lagos for further investigation.

The Agency said while Akpan Godwin Goodhead was busy misinforming the public on Facebook, his file was being processed at the visa clearance department, Lagos and currently on transit to Akwa Ibom State Command. 

The Agency assured Nigerians that it is committed to its core mandate and will 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.

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