Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service in Plateau State, Mr. Raymond Jaja, has threatened to arrest any foreigner found near any polling units or with any election materials during the 2015 general elections.
According to him, the Nigerian law does not allow any foreigner to participate in national elections, adding that their residency does not grant them the opportunity to exercise such rights.
He said, “The Nigerian Immigration Service, Plateau State Command, is in possession of information that some unscrupulous foreigners are holding the Permanent Voter Cards and other critical national security documents like the national identity cards, certificate of indigeneship/residency etc with the ultimate intention of participating in the 2015 general elections.
Jaja added, “All foreigners are excluded from participating in elections in Nigeria, irrespective of immigration documents or facility accorded them; they only play according to privileges accorded them. We have visitors, we have tourists, we have resident, we have workers. We even have displaced persons in the country; they should limit themselves to the facility and provisions accorded them.
“National elections are the purview of specific nations and their nationals. Nigerians do not participate in elections in other countries. It is a general practice and no foreigner under any guise, having lived long should participate. Whoever is in doubt or believes he is a Nigerian but understands his foreign root, should approach the Nigerian Immigration Service to confirm his status.
“Foreigners, who are in possession of any of the above stated national security documents, are warned to hand over such documents to the Nigeria Immigration Service, command headquarters at the Federal Secretariat, Tudun Wada, Jos, or any of the immigration divisional office at the 17 local government areas in the state; and to further keep away from all polling units and designated electoral areas.”