By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

LAGOS – The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has dragged two Britons before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged forgery of Nigerian visa and impersonation of the Director of Citizens and Business Department, Ministry of Interior, Mr. Adetayo Sode.

The accused, Ian Cunliff and Ofir More, were said to have conspired to forge expatriate quota approval with reference number MIA/B/3939/1/41 on  September 28, 2011 of the Ministry of Interior, and business permit with number FMI/B/3939/1/43 of Federal Ministry of Interior.

Cunliff and More were also alleged to have forged the signature of the Director, Citizenship and Business of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Sode, whose signature was on the forged expatriate quota approval.

According to the charge, the offences of forgery and impersonation allegedly committed by the Britons and their companies are contrary to Sections 465 and 484 and punishable under Section 47(1) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

In the 16-count charge by the Immigration Legal Officer, D. Babale, the two Britons, Ian Cunliff of 4, Wumego Crescent, Christ Avenue, Off Admiralty Way, Lekki and Ofir More, British citizen of Media Park, 40d River Road, Barking, England and three other companies, C25 Nigeria Limited, WTC International Holdings Nigeria Limited and WTC UK Limited on 28 September, 2011 allegedly conspired to forge Nigerian visa in the British passport of Ian Cunliff.

Babale informed the court that the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Isa Bukar;  Sode and Deputy Director, Citizenship and Business Department, Ministry of Interior, Abuja would appear as his three witnesses in prosecuting the Britons.

Trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, adjourned the matter till May 24.

Posted by admin on Apr 1 2012. Filed under Africa & World Politics, Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry