''I travelled to Nigeria over Easter with my 14-month-old child. I have a Nigerian passport but my son travelled to Nigeria with an ETC (Emergency Travel Certificate) and we both have a UK passport. I applied for both passports but my son’s didn't come out before our trip due to an error with his birth date in NIN registration( which I was told I will have to pay £20 to correct) .
We had to pay £120 for the ETC despite paying for the passport, NIN already not to mention other unnecessary admin fees and the £104 for passports ( well the stress of getting the passport is a story for another day, I will concentrate on the main issues at hand ) as we were not told there was any fault when we did biometric capture only to be told of this when we had less than 4 days to travelling while chasing up the passports as it's been over a month. When we got to Nigeria, there was no problem presenting the ETC but on returning I was surprised by the immigration (MMIA) at the last check before security asked me for my child's Nigerian Visa or Passport which I politely replied he has an ETC and I produce a photocopy ( as I have been forewarned they often try to exhort money if I don't have a photocopy) I was trying to explaining to him and he just passed me to another guy who was so brutal, shouting at me as if I have done something wrong which I haven't.
All these start to make my child very uncomfortable. The fact is it's almost 10 pm very much past his bedtime of 7 pm and after all the stress of checking in and waiting in line. They just keep shouting how I need a Nigerian passport or visa for my son to return to his country. I passed somewhere else to go and explain myself ( as you know everything wrong is right in Nigeria ). At this point, my son started to feel the tension plus tiredness and he started to vomit and cry loudly which these people didn't care. When I asked if I could sit down and attend to my son, the other man took our passports(both mine and my son's UK and my Nigerian passports) without saying anything and later telling me I needed to apply for a visa right there.
I wasn't the only one there there were few other people, anyway i was settling my baby and imagine the frustration having to call my son's English father that I am being told I wouldn't be able to bring our child back giving him all those unreasonable reasons from those immigration guys which he found bizarre but at this point my husband had broken down and had to get my sister in law to call me just to try to make sense of the whole situation..
I wasn't the only one there there were few other people, anyway i was settling my baby and imagine the frustration having to call my son's English father that I am being told I wouldn't be able to bring our child back giving him all those unreasonable reasons from those immigration guys which he found bizarre but at this point my husband had broken down and had to get my sister in law to call me just to try to make sense of the whole situation..
At this point we were already in touch with the British embassy and I think one of the guys standing in the corner heard me speaking Yoruba to my son and the fact we were in contact with the British Embassy and came to me that he will plead with the guy to let us go and brought our passports to me, he told me to be thankful to God . I told him this has nothing to do with God but mere diplomatic mess happening over there which is not right and they are very wicked to not even consider I have a child who was in distress. You won't believe these people are doing this for N2000, as I noticed some people giving them money and cursing away.
Well I must tell you this situation really shook me to my bones as I saw the wickedness of men and made me understand how people can easily kill or kidnap in that country looking nonchalant and how those immigration guys were void of emotions. I cried throughout the flight home as I was very emotional because i was embarrassed , disgusted, disappointed and mostly heartbroken from the way my fellow countrymen treated me and my child that i brought home for the first time and being a mother I felt like I have exposed my child to an unnecessary stress which could have been dangerous and can't imagine where I would find the bravery to decide or tell the father I want to take my son to Nigeria again after all of that.
I think this is something to let the whole world know about as they exhort money from us unnecessary , getting Nigeria Visa is easier and cheaper in the long run. What is the point of issuing people with ETC and getting in no issues but causing problems for people to go back. We are driving people away from that country . At least if they wanted money they could have asked straight up and it's left to me if I decided to give them a bribe or not!
Stella, I want you to know this situation affected me so much that it took more than 2 weeks to share my story, we couldn't even talk about it in my family for a few days. And I am going to share with the International press as this is unbecoming.
Nigeria should stop punishing those of us that are patriotic for our loyalty!
Best regards,
Bomi
Well I must tell you this situation really shook me to my bones as I saw the wickedness of men and made me understand how people can easily kill or kidnap in that country looking nonchalant and how those immigration guys were void of emotions. I cried throughout the flight home as I was very emotional because i was embarrassed , disgusted, disappointed and mostly heartbroken from the way my fellow countrymen treated me and my child that i brought home for the first time and being a mother I felt like I have exposed my child to an unnecessary stress which could have been dangerous and can't imagine where I would find the bravery to decide or tell the father I want to take my son to Nigeria again after all of that.
I think this is something to let the whole world know about as they exhort money from us unnecessary , getting Nigeria Visa is easier and cheaper in the long run. What is the point of issuing people with ETC and getting in no issues but causing problems for people to go back. We are driving people away from that country . At least if they wanted money they could have asked straight up and it's left to me if I decided to give them a bribe or not!
Stella, I want you to know this situation affected me so much that it took more than 2 weeks to share my story, we couldn't even talk about it in my family for a few days. And I am going to share with the International press as this is unbecoming.
Nigeria should stop punishing those of us that are patriotic for our loyalty!
Best regards,
Bomi
Awwwww so sorry Bomi!!!
I remember visiting Nigeria with my husband and our Bambinos and the same thing happened when we were returning..... why didn't they do this stress when we came in.... They promised us we would miss the flight and were very uncooperative until i 'mistakenly' let my Journalist tag fall out of my bag... The treatment changed IMMEDIATELY and they became like Angels... I had my Bambinos German passports and they were also in my old Naija passport but they insisted i had to prove the kids were mine...Haba!
After seeing my tag, they let us go.... Was the most embarrassing thing ever but thank God i didnt give them a dime!
Just as i was walking away, they begged me not to write about it...LOL
Where in God's name does someone need a Nigerian visa to return to his country (which is not Nigeria)? I will tell you! Only in Nigeria!
ReplyDeleteEka, if you don't have the passport of the country you are entering, you will need a visa. She clearly stated that the baby's passport wasn't ready (due to the incompetence of our people).
DeleteIf the writer is reading our comments, I urge you to not let it go. Please file a complaint with the relevant authorities and copy every agency and SDK on social media. Describe the officers, use dates/time and their stations. They will be fished out.
We won't get rid of all of them but we will get rid of some. Stella, you should have done the same. Not everyone has a journalist ID.
The baby came in with an Emergency travel document which is usually issued when u don't have a VISA. I remember the Embassy suggested that to me when we were to visit Nigeria and as usual my daughter's passport was not ready. I wasn't interested in any drama so I just opted to apply for a VISA for her.
DeleteThe issue here is that they were about to leave and they were not letting them. The baby has the passport of the country she's going to, they have no right to demand for visa. Pls read the post again
Eka,
DeleteJust for clarity but let's remember to stay on the issue at hand, which is the deliberate incompetence and corrupt practices in our system.
Please see in quotes "travelled to Nigeria over Easter with my 14-month-old child. I have a Nigerian passport but my son travelled to Nigeria with an ETC (Emergency Travel Certificate) and we both have a UK passport. I applied for both passports but my son’s didn't come out before our trip due to an error with his birth date in NIN registration"
The baby was issued a travel document/certificate, which is ENOUGH to travel to and fro with.
Dear Anonymous, please read Eka's message again. She is right, they do not need a visa to go back to the U.K. The agents were asking for Nigerian visa on return to U.K which is stupid. I don't even want to start with all the wahala I have been put through in the past. I have decided I am not visiting Nigeria with my kids anytime soon..sad but it's terrible what they make travellers go through and they always refuse to accept they are in the wrong..
Delete17:14,
DeleteI have gone back to read through the aggrieved lady's post. Thank you for pointing it out.
The issue happened while they were returning. I apologise Eka, I didn't read the whole post.
The child's British passport is enough for the child to return to his/her country. Same as the issued travel document/certificate.
As I pointed out, let's face the issues at hand. If it wasn't the travel document, these thieves will conjure up another issue. They could decide that the child is too tall to be Nigerian!!!
So, we must continue to report every and any infringements. Take down names, posts, dates. Report!
Happened to me returning back to our base after Christmas in January. Typical..2 passports came out and one glitched(still not out till now) we were issued with a travel document for one and ‘warned’ to keep a copy for our return trip and like the writer, we were told we needed a visa when we were being processed out and I laughed in there face and told them to point me to their Oga. They panicked and when I got to their panel of ogas, those one saw my face and just said ‘madam go’.
DeleteCraze dey fear craze.
Anonymous I don't think you read Eka Joys comment properly, you were more interested in causing an argument.
DeleteEka Joy is right, you dont need a visa to go into your home country.
I don't need a British visa (if I have a British Passport) to return into the UK.
Nigeria is a scam. They exploited some of us at the Nigeria high Commission in Northumberland, made us pay for 64 copies of Nigeria passport when we clearly didn't need it, only to go pick up the passport and the idiots issued the 32 pages one. How many times I dey go Nigeria wey I won use 64pages.
I have made up my mind to always apply for Nigeria visa instead, it's easier and you don't even have to queue on entry into Nigeria.
My story plenty but I am really upset with the way Nigeria has become.
If I were you Stella they would have been reading about their stupidity on different tabloids as I kukuma get coconut head and I'd be doing the call outs tagging them by their names. Ndi ala
ReplyDeleteNigerians keep disgracing Nigerians
ReplyDeleteWhen will they stop tarnishing the image of this country ???? This is becoming more annoying.
ReplyDeleteWhen we continue to do the right thing. Report them. Put their names and pictures up on social media. They may not stop, but the numbers will reduce drastically.
DeleteAnimals in uniform,Nigerian Immigration Personel are the most untrained,irresponsible and unproffessional set of folks i have ever met.
ReplyDeleteThey are always eager to extort money from anyone. Arseholes!!
And we are eager to "bribe" so they continue. Once you are in the right, do no entertain their shenanigans. And when it's all said and done, take it up officially.
DeleteSome people bribe just to avoid this tiring stress they put one through. Those immigration staff are cowards, they've done it to me before. I was extremely worn out, I was sick at the airport
DeleteAhhhhhhh.... Nigeria,when are we getting it right??
ReplyDeleteFG is not doing anything about this o.
ReplyDeleteEvery morning they resume work you hear them praying, casting and binding. On Sunday they rush to "presence of God", forming holier than Pope. Yet, evil persists in their hearts. They thrive in making others unhappy, not minding what the victim goes through. Tomorrow they will open their same mouth to preach to you. Enugu airport immigration officerd claim their scanner doesn't work so they do physical search and steal things from your luggage. If you confront them, they tell you it's prohibited material and you can't travel with it. Very wicked people!!
ReplyDeleteThe same thing happened to my brother and his family when they visited last year. Coming in was not an issue, but they started causing wahala when they were leaving. Saying they must produce the kids Nigerian passports. My brother changed it for them and they eventually sorted it out.
ReplyDeleteThere’s need for some sensitization for these immigration officers. The corruption has eaten too deep, they can’t even help it if they tried.
Every citizen must arrive their destination with a valid passport or other means of suitable ID failure to do this will result in katakata. And the woman was rude to them hence their hostility but she won’t mention that part.
Delete12.28 👌
DeleteRude or you guys wanted to be bribed?
Delete@12.28 a copy of the travel document/certificate and the baby’s British passport should cover that requirement. Again, leaving a country, you technically only need to present documents that show you are eligible to enter your destination country. Educate yourself please!
DeleteWell said Anonymous 19:16, Nigeria is s a scam.
DeleteIs a scam for you, not for me and my household.
DeleteYou see these immigration guys? they have no sympathy, very rude and feel like they control the universe... Some of them are friendly and nice. The bad ones among them behave with reckless abandon. Some of them use bad language, issue threats of missing your flight and try to do jobs that are not assigned to them. The government should do more to train, orientate and monitor these guys before give us a bad name if they have not already.
ReplyDeleteBad name ke? That's their title na.
DeleteOh so sorry
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete@ poster I feel your pain because it happened to me. Don't mind those brazen thieves. The process to obtain the Nigerian passport is cumbersome. Why do we have to make life so hard for ourselves all because of bribe? Nigerian refuses to move with times.
When you get the travel certificate, they claim it only allows you into the country, meanwhile, if you apply for a Nigerian passport in Nigeria, only God knows when you will get it so you have to use the travel certificate.
Is it even the begging at the airport? They beg boldly and shamelessly , tufiakwa.
Never had such experience. Where I dey go sef?😁
ReplyDeleteSorry about it madam, that's Nigeria for you🤦
Good you wrote about it. If everyone speak up.maybe it will create a change.
ReplyDeleteExactly Zaram.
DeleteI doubt so, they don't care. Travelling to that country is very stressful. I wish there was a direct flight to the east. The experience of going through the airports x2 is something else
DeleteSame thing happened to me last year. I came back with my Nigeria passport but my daughter of 3 months used ETC. On arrival, they collected the ETC and i was told i needed to do national id card for a child of 3 months. When i went to their head office, they told me to come back after 3 months cos my baby's finger print was unable to show in the system. Meanwhile my return ticket was the next month. I cried and begged them. After paying them 10k, they agreed to try again. My baby was so distressed and started crying. Well sorry everything, the national id came out a week later cos i paid extra for express. Then came the problem of her international passport.
ReplyDeleteThis people said she's not my daughter that i should go do change of surname. I presented my marriage certificate and baby's birth certificate still they just walked me out. In all this, my return date was fast approaching.
Only after making dinner calls and paying over 30k( minus the 60k I've already paid oh) did they finally attend to me and i got the passport.
Those people are heartless.
@Goodyflexy,
DeleteHerein lies our problems. As long as some of us continue to feed the corrupt system, it won't stop.
It’s well with this country
ReplyDeletePlease i have a question, i know my question might not go down well with many people but i’d ask anyway. Why don’t people apply and get these documents and keep them for a time when they would need them, why do you people wait until it is time for you to travel before you start running up and down to gather them.
ReplyDeleteThere is a way you would have all ur travel documents and other requirements, aswear down, even if they tried, they cannot frustrate you.
They won't answer at all. Get everything ready if you want to travel to avoid those stupid immigration officers. Yori princess
Delete14:11,
DeleteSometimes, traveling is spontaneous or as the pocket dictates. At times, an emergency situation could arise that would warrant it. We do not know everyone's exact situation.
However, your question is spot on! A lot of times we do not do the right as at when due because we know that we have a system that we have directly or indirectly created and continue to feed till the monster we built goes against us and then we shout blue murder!
What a question!!
DeleteDo you know what emergency travel is? Like when my dad fell off the stairs I had to travel to see him!! Or did I know he will fall and break his hip?
Then Again do you know how long it takes to get an appointment? I know someone who waited for almost a year.
Yeah, I always try to prepare well ahead especially passport for myself and family but then what of emergencies? Different situations for different people. Poster, I feel your pain especially regarding your baby. Thank God you spoke up, I pray it goes viral.
DeleteMs Abroadian, what do you mean what a question?! Are you implying every person that does things last minute had an emergency reason to travel? Better be calming down.
DeleteMs abrodian, i still stand on what i said, gather ur documents and keep them for “rainy days” the way we always have special funds for when things show up unexpectedly. Those for whom my question are for, have seen it and have reasoned with me. I say this because, some Nigerians won’t do things until last minute, they come rushing and bribing their way up and down. Ordinary NIN that govt. was asking people to do in peace time, many refused, until it became chaotic or they needed it urgently for something, they started rushing up and down, bribing officials, feeding the already bad system.
DeleteThank you anon. This lady was travelling for Easter, no mention of it being an emergency trip. All she said was it didn't come out on time, but when exactly did she apply for it.
DeleteWhat of emergency cases. I got a call my mum died overnight, I started searching for an immediate ticket to fly to Nigeria only to find out my Nigerian passport expired a week before. I had to apply for visa.
DeleteSome cases warrant emergency dealings
It still doesn’t negate what i said about making sure you have valid travel documents before hand. Something like your passport, your driving license and all documents that have expiry date, the onus is on you to make sure you have them updated as and when due, not when you need to suddenly travel. This is especially when you know you are in a foreign land that, given our culture, you can suddenly be called for things like death and sickness of a loved one.
DeleteMost of them would want “express” something that expired 1year ago, they won’t renew until they need to travel next week, then they would bribe officials and would want these officers to jump the queue for them.
You can't make passport for a baby that is still in the womb. If you intend traveling when the baby is six months of thereabout. At what point do you take the baby for capturing and other factors like delayed passport, absence of booklets etc considered. These things are not always cast in stone dear anon.
DeleteThank God the church is not or the pastor is not the cause of these ,the system and the fellow evil being are the problem wish all will drag them and makes people see them for what they are ; evil in human clothing.
ReplyDelete