The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has expressed concerns over the reported non-refundable fee of N10,000 charged Nigerians seeking Visa clearance to certain countries, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The caucus through a statement by the Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu on Thursday, stressed that while it is not against any genuine Visa clearance measures, especially those placed to curb drug trafficking and other criminal tendencies, it is however concerned about policies such as fees, that tend to place undue pressure on innocent citizens.
“The Minority caucus, in response to the apprehensions and anxieties raised by Nigerians, therefore urges the NDLEA to take steps that will lead to an immediate review of the non-refundable fee to an affordable amount, while putting measures to adequately sensitize Nigerians on the issue.
“This is especially as the contentious fee is reported to be at the behest of the ‘source countries’ and not NDLEA and Nigeria.
“The caucus urges Nigerians to remain calm and focused in the collective global fight against trafficking in illicit drugs and other drug related criminality”, it said in the statement.
