Neglect of mission staff hurting Nigeria’s image abroad, group tells Tinubu

The Network for Good Governance and Democratic Accountability (NEFGAD) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the challenges facing Nigerian mission staff and immigration attachés posted to foreign embassies.

In a letter dated November 4, signed by Unekwu Ojo, acting head of office at NEFGAD, and addressed to the president, the group said the persistent neglect of mission staff has grave implications for Nigeria’s diplomatic image, global operations, and service delivery abroad.

“For over two years, the Nigeria Immigration Service has duly appointed and designated immigration attachés to serve in Nigerian missions across different continents to handle essential migration-related responsibilities such as visa processing, passport interventions, data verification, and immigration intelligence,” the letter reads.

“Unfortunately, the officers are yet to be deployed, leaving some missions with only one officer shouldering the immigration responsibilities of an entire country, including attending to multiple requests from both Nigerians and foreign nationals.

“This situation is not only inefficient but also undiplomatic and inconsistent with international best practices.”

The group noted that leading nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France, and Canada maintain well-structured immigration and consular units staffed with specialised officers who ensure efficient handling of visa, passport, and residency services.

It said the inability of Nigerian missions to maintain similar representation “places the country at a serious diplomatic disadvantage, weakens consular services, and undermines the welfare of Nigerian citizens abroad.”

NEFGAD also expressed concern over the plight of diplomatic attachés and mission staff who, it noted, have gone several months without receiving their salaries and allowances.

“The neglect does not only affect their morale and productivity but also damages Nigeria’s reputation before host countries,” Ojo said.

“A demoralised or financially distressed attaché cannot effectively represent the interests of any nation.”

The group urged the federal government to intervene urgently to restore the integrity of Nigeria’s foreign missions and ensure that all personnel are adequately supported to perform their duties effectively.