Senator Matthew Nwagwu (PDP Imo North), chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, is not happy with the proposed UK visa bond policy which seeks to compel visitors from some countries, including Nigeria to deposit to UK immigration authority, the sum of 3,000 pounds which they would forfeit if they overstay their visits. In this interview, he said Nigeria would pay UK in her own coins at the appropriate time. What is the position of the Senate on the proposed United Kingdom policy that seeks to force visitors to UK to deposit 3,000 pounds to their immigration authority?
But as a Nigerian, I have to say that any government including the UK government has the right to make a law that will protect its interest. So it’s left to Nigeria also to make the law that will protect Nigerian citizens’ interests also. When they inform us officially on this policy, we will sit down to study it and then respond to them officially. We will not accept it if Nigeria is branded among the countries they are targeting and we will respond to them in that order. That is what we call reciprocity. If the policy comes into effect, it’s left to Nigerians also to begin to find alternative travel destinations.
