Accomplices of Lebanese terrorist with the fake Nigerian passport arrested by Nigeria Immigration Services

The Nigeria Immigration Service has arrested two alleged accomplices of Lebanese terrorist, Ahmed Al Assir, who was arrested after he obtained a Nigerian visa in Beruit, Lebanon, in August, 2015.

Assir, who had been on the wanted list of the Lebanese security forces, was arrested at the airport while attempting to visit Cairo, Egypt, enroute to Nigeria on a forged Palestinian passport.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Martin Abeshi, said Assir’s accomplices were apprehended in Kano and have since been handed over to the National Security Adviser for further investigation.

Assir, who had been on the wanted list of the Lebanese security forces, was arrested at the airport

 

Abeshi told journalists while responding to questions on Wednesday in Abuja that Assir’s accomplices were arrested the moment the NIS learnt that the terrorist was visiting Nigeria.

 

Abeshi said,

“The Immigration service did not issue the visa to the Lebanese terrorist because we don’t have immigration officers at the embassy. Maybe the visa was issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials or some other officials, but the moment we learnt about the incident, we identified the people the suspect was coming to visit in Kano and they were handed over to the NSA.”

The NIS boss said he has made a proposal on how to secure and protect the border and is only waiting on the approval of the Federal Government.

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He said he planned to deploy sensors and security cameras across Nigerian international borders and may erect walls at volatile border areas.

 

Abeshi warned his men against passport racketeering, adding that the new Immigration Act 2015 provides penalties including prison terms for officers who abuse passport process