Babandede said the company tried to seize the building of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Continental Transfert Technique Limited, a member of the Contec Global group, the company, is a technical partner to immigration on combined expatriate resident permit and alien card (CERPAC).

While appearing before the joint senate committee on finance and national planning on Wednesday, Babandede said all the revenue generated by his organisation goes to the treasury single account (TSA) except that from the CERPAC, of which CONTEC takes a larger share before the remainder is deposited into the coffers of the federal government.

The CG, who said “I don’t want to talk much”, told the committee that the company is taking a huge chunk of the revenue for “doing nothing”.

Babandede said NIS could do the job CONTEC is contracted for at a cheaper rate and this would in turn provide more revenue for the government.

“The agreement they signed between the ministry of interior and the company, we are implementing…. The agreement is that if someone, a non-Nigerian, buys a resident permit, the money is shared between CONTEC, interior. Initially, it (combined expatriate resident permit and alien card) was $1,000 and at that figure CONTEC collects 72 percent. Later, the ministry of interior changed the price to $2,000 and adjusted the payment model — CONTEC, 55 percent; federal government, 33 percent; immigration, 7 percent and ministry of interior 5 percent. The agreement was first signed in 2007 and it was reviewed last year (2019),” the comptroller-general said.

“The truth of the matter is that it was signed on our behalf and we have to implement it. This job (issuing resident permit), we can do it. It is not rocket science. This has been on for many years. This is a company that took Nigeria to court, to arbitration; it is a huge issue. I don’t want to discuss more because the ministry of justice and Mr President have taken it very seriously.

“If you see the amount the company is taking, you will be worried. There were several investigations by the senate, by the house; there are reports available if you want. I can get it for you or you can get it in the national assembly.

“Nobody should defend CONTEC as a company to do business in Nigeria. This is a company that took us to court; this is a company that wanted to seize our property, including our mission and NNPC building.

“Two thousand dollars for resident permit? We can make that resident permit with $500; $1,500 can go to the federal government. We throw away the company, and government will make more money.”

The comptroller-general did not reveal how the country has been able to manage the situation thus far and at what time CONTEC approached the arbitration court.

Meanwhile, in 2007, according to papers filed at the US court for the district of Columbia, “CONTEC and Nigeria entered arbitration to resolve a contract dispute.”

“On August 14, 2008, the arbitrators issued their decision, awarding Continental 29.6 billion Nigerian naira. Nigeria was also ordered to pay Continental’s costs and 95% of the costs of arbitration,” the document reads.

In December 2008, CONTEC also sought for the arbitral award to be recognised in the UK and the “United Kingdom’s High Court of Justice (“the English court”) issued an order confirming the arbitral award as final and enforceable”.

In March 2020, following the upward review of the permit from $1,000 to $2,000 in 2018, a federal high court sitting in Lagos granted a stay of execution of its 2019 judgment which nullified the hike of the CERPAC fees.

There are mounting concerns over the agreements the country is entering into or has entered into.

Nigeria is currently struggling to escape a $9 billion judgement debt awarded by the UK arbitration court over a failed gas deal with Process and Industrial Development (P&ID).

The country is also faced with a $1.2 billion liability if it decides to pull out of an agreement with Azura Power.

Last month, the house of representatives raised the alarm over clauses conceding Nigeria’s sovereignty to China in a loan agreement.

The post How foreign company attempted to seize NNPC building over resident permit contract – Immigration CG appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

According to the Punch, Babandede disclosed his COVID-19 status on Sunday.

The immigration chief reportedly said he has been in self-isolation since he returned from the United Kingdom on March 22.

“Today, I tested positive for COVID-19. I have been on self-isolation since my return from UK on Sunday 22nd of this month with British Airways,” Babandede was quoted to have said.

“I urge my loved ones, Immigration Officers and Nigerians to pray for me and all those affected.

“It is a very difficult time but we can’t change what God destined for us.

“I urge officers to continue working with my able Deputy to further move our Service to another level. As advised by NCDC, I am totally isolated.”

This development comes less than 24 hours after Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna state governor, disclosed he tested positive for the virus.

The post Babandede, immigration CG, tests positive for coronavirus appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Ali stated this on Wednesday at Maigatari/Niger border, Maigatari Local Government Area of Jigawa while fielding questions from newsmen.

“But there is no specific time for opening the borders. However, if they agree with us tomorrow on the existing laws, then we sign and update the existing protocol of transit, that’s all.

“And we are looking forward to meeting with them and there are moves to sit with them to make them understand why we are doing what we are doing and what we want to achieve by doing what we are doing,” Ali said.

When asked about the consequences of closing the borders, he said “if you check our website, you will see the seizures and interception we’ve made”.

He said that by closing the borders, Nigeria was able to completely block the importation of contraband.

“We are able to completely block the influxes of illicit goods, and most important, stopped the exportation of petroleum product which is the biggest problem we have,” Ali said.

According to him, through the measure, the importation of foreign rice has stopped and the market for local varieties has risen.

“We’ve also stopped the influx of rice and our rice is now selling. Even those selling garri that have been abandoned because there was cheap rice are making brisk business.

“This is because people are now buying garri as food. So, I think the economy is now picking up and we are grateful for that,” he said.

When asked about petty traders who are unable to bring goods to the neighbouring countries, Ali said “There must be collateral damage in this kind of situation. Somebody must miss one or two things.”

He said the number of petty traders affected was insignificant compared to gains recorded through the operation.

Ali said Nigeria’s neighbours had no reason allowing cars, cooking oil and other contraband items to pass through their borders into Nigeria.

“For instance, Niger has no reason to allow rice, cooking oil and other illicit goods to pass through its borders to come to Nigeria.

“So, if it is their national interest to collect revenue it is our national interest to close our borders until we sit down and discuss,” Ali said.

He warned that any officer caught conniving to pave way for the importation of contraband items into the country would have himself to blame.

“Some of these things happened in connivance with some of our men. We are trying our best to see that we produce what we consume, particularly rice.

“But the police are being bastardised in connivance with some of my officers. We’re aware of that.

“So, if we catch you, you know where to go, no compromise and you will have yourself to blame.

The customs boss who was at the border to inspect the on-going Operation Border Drill, said: “This is the first time the entire military and paramilitary come together to ensure security and wellbeing of Nigerians, as well as stop human trafficking.

Ali was with the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, and Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Aliyu Ndagi, Head of the operation.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officials of NIS had earlier captured the biometrics of the President and his vice, shortly before the commencement of an extraordinary meeting’ of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, assisted by the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, later presented the new passports to the president and his vice after the Council meeting.

Speaking to State House correspondents, Dambazau, who narrated the origin and history of passport in Nigeria, stated that apart from the 10-year validity, the new passport had an enhanced and self-tracking application.

According to the minister, the new passport meets the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“Now, things are dynamic and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also brought up additional security features, which we have to comply with as early as possible for various reasons.

“We have series of cross border issues to deal with and series of challenges in terms of border security and management and one of the best ways to do that in addition to bio-metrics, is to ensure that our passport contains all these security features,’’ he added.

According to him, the passport is weather friendly and has polycarbonate technology, which eliminates damage, it also saves Nigerians in diaspora the time needed to frequently visit Nigerian embassies in search of new passports.

In his contribution, Babandede said the Immigration service had in October 2018 announced that Nigeria would begin using the new passport by December 2018.

He expressed optimism that the security features in the new passport would raise the standard of the document, adding that President Buhari would soon launch the passport.

According to Babandede, the new 32-booklet standard passport will cost N25, 000 and $130 abroad, while 64-booklet passport with five years validity will cost N35, 000 and $150 abroad.

He explained that the 64-booklet passport with 10-year validity will cost N70, 000 in Nigeria and $230 abroad.

He said the diplomatic passport, which is free of charge, is meant for members of the diplomatic corps and is owned for life by serving or former presidents of the country.

The NIS boss also said that the old passport remained valid.

The post Buhari, Osinbajo receive new 10-Year Diplomatic Passport appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The minister stated this on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, to resolve some of the issues militating against visa issuance.

The meeting also had in attendance, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede.

Dambazau said that the delay in the issue of visa to Nigerians was becoming an embarrassment and must be resolved.

“It is embarrassing that one will want visa and will have unnecessary delay from the issuance countries.

“We as a country needs to take our stand; we should deal with any country the way they deal with us on visa issuance. They should not think that we need them more than they need us,” he said.

Babandede, at the end of the meeting also corroborated Minister of Interior’s stand on the issue.

He said “What we are saying is that we as a country, we would also like to retaliate.

“Anybody who delays visa for our nationals, we would also do the same as a country because we have a pride as a nation.”

The Comptroller-General, however, said that Nigeria was committed to ensuring that business was done normally with friends of the country.

“We are committed to issue visa on time and passport to our nationals wherever they are”.

Earlier, Onyeama said that the meeting was to enhance ease of doing business in the country.

He, however, noted that the nation was still having challenges regarding consular services.

Onyeama said the parley was to see how in conjunction with sister ministries, the nation could find solutions to the challenges.

“As part of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, the issue, as you know, some of the deliverables are there and it is for consular services that we also have to work hard together.

“So, we have always felt that we should all try and be speaking to each other.

“The Ministry of Interior, Immigration Services and ourselves, our embassies and missions and consulates are all working other one roof,” he said.

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