In a shocking and brazen act of violence, a Chinese businessman allegedly ordered his security guard to shoot a Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) officer while on official duty at a Chinese-owned company in Abuja. The attack, which has sparked national outrage, has been condemned by the Nigerian government as an assault on the country’s sovereignty.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitization workshop on the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 in Abuja, Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo expressed deep anger over the incident, declaring that the government would not tolerate such acts of impunity.
“An incident happened, and I am taking that very personally. I don’t want to mention the company here, but they shot one of our immigration personnel. The owner, a foreign national, told the security officer to shoot our officer—and he did it.
“That happened a couple of weeks ago. It is unjust, and we are going to take it up with the Chinese Embassy,” the Minister declared.
Describing the attack as a direct affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty, Tunji-Ojo vowed that such an incident would never be allowed to repeat itself.
“It is never done anywhere in the world. That alone is an attack on Nigeria. It will never happen again. No foreign company or individual will be allowed to undermine our security personnel,” he stated firmly.
As part of efforts to prevent similar incidents, the Minister announced new measures to strengthen Nigeria’s immigration system. He revealed that Nigeria was automating its White, Grey, and Black lists to effectively monitor foreign nationals.
Additionally, a new Expatriate Administration System will take effect from May 1, 2025, to ensure strict compliance with immigration laws.
“We will be giving a three-month window from May 1 to August 1 for the regularization of immigration protocols. After that, we will transition into an era of enforcement, prosecution, and deportation,” he warned.
Tunji-Ojo also addressed concerns raised by a Chinese delegation over alleged blacklisting of Chinese nationals in Nigeria. He clarified that the government was not targeting any specific nationality but was ensuring that all expatriates adhered to the country’s laws.
“We will never, under the leadership of His Excellency, paint an entire street with a single brush. There are Nigerians in China. There are Chinese people here doing fantastically well in our economy. There are Indians investing billions of dollars. There are Americans. There are Europeans. Compliance is simply non-negotiable,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Comptroller General of the NIS, Kemi Nana Nandap, announced sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s visa policy, including reducing visa classifications from 79 to 44 and introducing a fully online e-visa system.
“These categories have been logically grouped to simplify procedures, reduce complexities, and greatly improve the user experience,” she explained.
The attack has ignited public fury, with many Nigerians demanding swift action against those responsible. Analysts say this incident underscores the urgent need for stronger policies to protect Nigerian workers, particularly security and immigration personnel.
As the government moves to engage the Chinese Embassy and enforce stricter immigration controls, all eyes are on the authorities to ensure that justice is served and that no foreign entity undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty again.
PIONEER NEWS 