UNACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE FOR THE TOURISTS BY IMMIGRATION OFFICERS ON THE LAGOS LAGOON IN BADAGRY By Anago-Osho

An incident occurred when some international visitors were stopped at Badagry on the Lagos lagoon on their way from Lagos Island to experience Badagry. The officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service at that location who stopped the visitors said that visitors in a country can not visit tourist sites with a business visa.

It was also sad that the immigration officers refused to acknowledge the visa, bio data and passport shown to them by some of the tourists from their phones, the officers eagerly said that they only operate manually. We told them that technology has made things easy and they can get any confirmation they seek. We told them that it wasn't easy to convince these visitors to visit or do business in Nigeria. 

Their reaction was unprofessional and a national embarrassment. They flaunted handcuffs to further intimidate the visitors. We market and promote Nigeria as an international tourist destination and it had not been easy. The immigration officers intimidation of the International tourists was not necessary.

They didn't acknowledge (us) the Nigerians among the visitors. They asked for the European group tour leader. They later kept them in a room in their office. The visitors were really scared as one of them was showing off his gun. The behavior of the immigration officers was unprofessional, embarrassing, and extortionate. They demanded for $14,000 (later reduced to $7000) from the group leader. She responded that they are visitors and don't have such amount of money. 

Later, we said to them that we can only afford N100,000 (to avoid the continuous embarrassment) and this infuriated them. The officers said the visitors committed crime by visiting the tourist town of Badagry with a business visa. We told the officers that visitors to Nigeria with a business visa are allowed to visit tourist sites, as it helps develop tourism and support local practitioners and businesses. They refused to listen to us and after about 2 hours, they collected their phones and have initially seized their international passports. 

And because their illegal demand could not be met, the visitors boat was turned back from Badagry to the Immigration Service office at Apapa, called Bakassi. As the officers led the boat back, it became a nightmare. Their actions did not only wasted the tourists' time but also caused financial losses for the local businesses, including souvenir shops, attraction sites, and transportation services. Money was already lost because the boat that brought the visitors to Badagry and the cultural group to entertain them were already paid.

Calls were made across the country. It's commendable that well meaning Nigerians intervened in what could have been a national disgrace. The intervention led to the vindication of the tourists and the summoning of the errant officers to Abuja.

It took the quick intervention of HON. Hannatu Musa Musawa, the Minister of  Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mrs Ola Wright of the West Africa Tourism Organisation (WATO), The Secretary to Lagos State  government, Mrs Bimbo Salu-Hundeyin  SSG, Kemi Nanna Nandap, the Comptroller Lagos Command and the Comptroller of Immigration, Apapa, Mrs C. O Ogbudu, Chief Mobee of Badagry Kingdom, Prince Adeyemi Seyon Akran and numerous well meaning immigration officers who came to the rescue to save the country from embarrassment.

Nigeria is a great tourist destination but it has not been easy for us as inbound tourism practitioners to convince the global tourists to visit the country. The governing body of the Nigeria Immigration Service should consider orientation for officers, especially the junior officers who seem uncontrollable. There should be further training and retraining of Immigration officers. It should be ensured that officers understand and respect the rights of visitors. The NIS should implement measures to prevent extortion and corruption.

Thankfully, the visitors were able to return to Badagry the following day and we were able to showcase Nigeria's rich cultural heritage in Badagry and the tour continued to Abeokuta. Kudos to everyone that intervened and to the professional Nigeria Immigration officers who helped to resolve the situation.