The Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, has shut down activities indefinitely. The high commission in a statement posted ...
The Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, has shut
down activities indefinitely.
The high commission in a statement posted on its website
said it was suspending consular activities indefinitely until further notice
due to lack of passport booklets and unruly behaviour of applicants.
It said it had devised a system in which citizens with
emergency cases were attended to strictly by appointment that allowed a limited
number of people into the chancery at a time in compliance with the laid-down
rules of physical distancing.
But it said some citizens chose to abuse the system by
showing up without appointment.
“On a number of occasions, people seeking passport renewal
came to the chancery without an appointment and acted in the a most unruly
manner, disturbing the peace and acting in an abusive manner, banging windows,”
it said.
It further stated that things got worse on August 14, when a
group of applicants caused mayhem at the embassy, refusing people entrance and
holding a staff member hostage for several minutes.
“Matters came to a head on Friday August 14, when a group
showed up at the high commission and refused to allow the embassy staff members
to attend to those who had appointments. They insisted that we had to attend to
everybody who showed up.
“They went as far as holding a female staff member who went
to address them hostage for over 20 minutes and subjected them to physical
abuse,” the statement reads.
While acknowledging that the closure of the airspace was
limiting its ability to bring much-needed passport booklets into the country
and is an area it will work on, the Nigerian High Commission disclosed that it
was considering ways to make our premises more secure and less susceptible to
unruly behaviour and violent mob action.
“Nigerians whose work or study permits have expired since
March 2020, and who do not have a valid passport, have a grace period that
lasts until December 31.
“By this time, we expect to have resolved some of the
challenging issues that COVID-19 has created,” the statement added.
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