The Federal Government on Friday announced plans to cancel the visa-on-arrival policy.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this during the closing ceremony of a weeklong capacity-building training for personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.

According to reports, the capacity building training is one of the measures being adopted by the NIS to document everyone visiting the country.

Recall that the administration of the former President Muhammadu Buhari introduced the visa-on-arrival policy in 2020 as a short-stay visa issued at the point of entry.

Tunji-Ojo said the Federal Government would introduce landing and exit cards, which prospective visitors will pre-fill before coming into the country in place of the visa-on-arrival policy

The minister stressed the need to harmonise the immigration data centre and have integrated solutions for decisions that has to do with migration into Nigeria.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed readiness to conduct presidential, parliamentary and governorship elections in Nigeria on a single day if the National Assembly will enact law endorsing it.

INEC’s Director of Operation, Adigun Hakeem, made the disclosure in his remarks at a Policy Dialogue on Single Day Election in Nigeria held in Abuja on Friday in furtherance to the recently held conference on Strengthening of Democracy in Nigeria.

The commission emphasised that though it is ready to execute the arrangement, it is however handicap to do so without the proclamations of the National Assembly which will spell out all activities and guidelines.

Adigun said: “INEC as a governing body cannot take a position on these issues for now. INEC’s primary assignment is to conduct free, fair and credible elections. All activities and guidelines are being spelt out by the National Assembly. So we don’t take a position.

“At the end of this meeting, the decision we arrive at will be submitted to the commission. We are here to participate and to listen to your position and your advocacy. Our interest is to be fair and conduct free and credible elections.

“At INEC, after every general election we go back to the drawing board, to review the election. For all the elections like the National Assembly and presidency, followed by the State Assembly and governorship, all the issues that came out during the last election are reviewed so that we improve on future elections.

“We are not sitting down at all. So what we are waiting for is law from the National Assembly. INEC cannot do it alone, all the stakeholders in election matters must come together and by the grace of God, we will submit the report of this meeting to the commission,” he assured.

In his contribution, the Executive Director of Partners for Electoral Reforms, Ezenwa Nwagwu, supported the single day conduct arrangement but warned that the difficult terrain and topography of certain parts of the country.

There are huge challenges, the America is not Nigeria. So the nature and complexity of the Nigerian politician and people I think it’s what we need to take into cognisant.

Number one, 176,974 pulling units is huge and the nature of topography of those places we are talking about. In a place like Taraba from Jalingo there are places you will go that take you almost seven hours.

“In Kebbi there are places you will go to by the time you vehicle stops, you used carmel and after that you use motorcycle  to get to those places. So we’re not the same with USA, in dealing with those challenges we need to contextualise our environment we are living…

“I am talking about cost, the political illiteracy, five ballot boxes in one day what you are going to do is to sort that ballot. In many places people will put that of the House of Representatives into governorship. Nigeria is a place where people are in a hurry for results to come out. If you continue that sorting and you don’t react to them in the way they are looking at it then something has happened to the result.

“So, I am supporting that if we want to do single day election, there is more work that is pragmatic neither than just theoretical engagement,” he said.

Resource person and a lecturer at Nile University, Abuja

Dr. Iroro S Izu, argued that: “the history of Nigeria’s culture of conducting general elections for several days is rooted in the country’s general culture of wastes— waste of time, energy, resources, manpower, and goodwill.”

“It is a culture that de-emphasizes discipline and emphasizes recklessness with the assurance that when the chips are down, one has relatives, fathers, mothers, friends and acquaintances to run to. It is a culture that abuse faith, generosity and downplays seriousness, hard-work and sacred lifestyle. It is a culture of misprioritizations — celebrating quantity over quality,” he said.

Daily Sun

…Parade lone robber caught with barretta pistol

The Anambra State Police Command has vowed to re-arrest two fleeing suspects involved in the murder of Late Hon. Justice Azuka, a member representing Onitsha 1 Constituency in the State House of Assembly.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, made this pledge during a press briefing at the Anambra State Police Headquarters, Awka, on February 21, 2025.

According to CP Orutugu, the two suspects, Ikemefuna Ossai from Delta State and Chinedu Okoli from Imo State, were drivers of the notorious gang involved in the kidnap and murder of Justice Azuka.

CP Orutugu assured that the command is working tirelessly to stabilize the security situation in the state.
The CP said,”The purpose of the Press briefing is to set the records straight on the two fleeing suspects involved in the murder of the Late Hon Justice Azuka, a Member Representing Onitsha 1 Constituency in the State House of Assembly of Anambra State and highlight some of the breakthroughs of the Command within the period under review.

“Let me reiterate the fact that this regrettable incident happened two days before I assumed Office on 10th February 2025 as the Commissioner of Police Anambra State.
“Upon receipt of the information on 18th of February 2025, this informed my briefing to *Ndi Anambra* and *Nigerians* as the Command under my watch shall ensure residents stay informed as the Security Situation evolves in the State.
The CP added, “This sad development motivated me too the extra mile on a discreet investigation to gather the facts surrounding the incident.
“The cause of my findings shows that the incident happened on the 8th of February, 2025 in Obosi. The two (2) suspects, Ikemefuna Ossai from Delta State and Chinedu Okoli from Imo State out of eleven (11) confessed suspects already paraded by the Command.
“Chinedu and Ikemefuna are not the principal suspects but the drivers of the notorious gang. They were assisting the Police Operatives attached to the Rapid Respond Squad ( RSS) Akwuzu to arrest one Tochukwu Akolisa from Anambra State, whom according to the suspect mentioned the Tochukwu Akolisa as one of the receivers/buyers of their victim’s vehicles/belongings.
“During the onslaught operation by the Operatives, to arrest Tochukwu (the receiver) took to his heels immediately he sighted the Police Operatives in company with Ikemfuna and Chinedu.
“Regrettably, I was informed that the two suspects Ikemefuna and Chinedu were the ones driving the car when the operatives alighted the vehicle, shot at the receiver/buyer on his leg and arrested him.
“The two other suspects used the opportunity to escape from the scene with the vehicle.
“I was also briefed that during a hot chase by the Police Operatives, the suspects abandoned the car and escaped into a nearby bush.
“The area was cordoned off and all efforts to apprehend the fugitives proved abortive.
“As the substantive Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, I consider it a priority to address this situation, re-arrest the suspects, and implement necessary measures to prevent such incidents or related ones from happening again.
The CP added,”I have briefed the Force headquarters on the situation on the ground and the actions taken, which include activating operational plans to re-arrest the suspects at large and initiating disciplinary proceedings against police personnel involved due to operational lapses.”
He highlighted some of the command’s achievements, including the arrest of a suspect, Orji Chigozie, who was found with a locally fabricated Beretta pistol.
He maintained that the police had rescued an abducted victim in Ihiala and recovered a stolen Toyota Corolla used in the abduction.
The CP said the command is still working to arrest the fleeing suspects involved in the abduction even as he reiterated the command’s commitment to synergizing with other security agencies to improve operational capacity and security dominance in the state.