Visa Application Appointment for Sale at the UK Embassy in Lagos?

Fellow Nigerians and all readers of the Naijapolitics online,

The year two thousand and four rolls in with another shocking development at the UK embassy in Nigeria. Just few months ago we sent e-mails to the US and UK embassies in Lagos about the inhumane treatment that some of our members suffered at the hands of some of these embassies' agents while applying for various visas. We commended the prompt and civilized manner the UK embassy responded to our concerns then, and the fact that they even volunteered to schedule an appointment for one of our members via e-mail instead of insisting that the member should go through their "hotline" routine.

The events that occurred within the last few weeks however would shock some of us, while it may not be of any surprise to some of you. Whichever group you belong to, you will agree with us that we need to completely ward Nigeria off this cancerous social vice that is being abetted directly or indirectly, by act of omission or commission, by those that supposed to lay good example for Nigerians.

One of our members called the UK visa appointment hotlines unsuccessfully to book appointment for a trip to London. These Lagos Hotline numbers:

o 01-775 2492
o 01-775 3237
o 0803 525 1261
o 0803 525 1262

We were notified about this incident, but because of the reaction we got from the UK officials during the last encounter we had with them, we said this allegation could not be true. We assigned some of our members to call these four listed visa appointment lines to confirm or refute this allegation. Two members tried these numbers from London, two from USA and two from Lagos, starting from 7.30 am through 10.30 am Nigerian time. This time period was specifically chosen as a compliance with the instruction at the above listed UK website. None of these members of ours, that called from three different countries including Nigeria, could get through to speak with a consular officer, even once, during the two days of continuous trials between December 15 and 16, 2003.

We e-mailed the UK officials about the difficulties we encountered in reaching their visa appointment officers through their listed hotlines. The UK embassy replied once insisting that the only available means of booking appointment with them for visa application was by telephone by calling the hotlines as listed at the UK visa application website.

Our member really needed to get the visa application scheduled, so we advised him to go to the embassy in person and find out if one could schedule the visa application appointment in person at the UK embassy. Our member visited the UK embassy on December 29, 2003, and came back with a report that there was a signboard posted at the embassy's gate stating that 'all visa applicants should come back on January 5, 2004 to schedule visa application appointment'.

The member went back on January 5, 2004 as stated above, only to be told that the appointment could only be scheduled by calling the non-functional 'hotlines'. Being frustrated, our member decided to speak with one of the UK embassy security officers for possible help. The security officer advised our member to speak with one man who identified himself as "Ambassador". "Ambassador" said he would help our member secure the visa application appointment at a cost of twenty five thousand naira. He gave our member a cell phone number he could be contacted at for further discussion. The number he gave was 08023859345. We called this number and Mr. "Ambassador" confirmed that he could help in securing the visa application appointment at the UK embassy at a cost of N25,000.00. He further stated that he was working for the UK embassy's visa application appointment officers, he said that he had to give the bulk of this money to these officers before they would schedule the visa appointment for any visa applicant. Mr. "Ambassador" further confirmed that the above listed hotlines were just there for decoration and no one could hardly get appointment scheduled by calling those numbers. He said "This is Nigeria you know", using deep Yoruba's voice. Mr. "Ambassador" reported that he could be contacted by calling 08023859345 or by asking for Mr. "Ambassador" or the "International Immigration Lawyer" from any UK embassy security officer at the Lagos UK embassy.

It is true that the UK embassy dissociated herself from touts that may solicit money from visa applicants to expedite services, the persistent unresolved problem of not being able to schedule the appointment as expected via the UK assigned 'hotlines' makes it very difficult for rational thinkers like us that these middle men, like Mr. "Ambassador", are not actually working for the UK embassy as a way of extorting money illegally from Nigerians for services that supposed to be rendered without tears.

We, as Nigerians and on behalf of Nigerians both at home and abroad, plead with the officials of the UK embassy to urgently investigate this allegation and find out why the four visa application appointment hotlines are not answered when called. Nigerians do not have to buy illegal services with hard earned money. We are already impoverished enough that we cannot withstand this kind of extortion by tricks.

We plead with you all concerned Nigerians all over the world that may not be happy with this immoral act that is allegedly going on at the UK embassy in Lagos to call the UK ambassador in Nigeria or send e-mails to the following addresses: management.abuja@fco.gov.uk, consular.abuja@fco.gov.uk, info.abuja@ng.britishcouncil.org, chancery@lagos.mail.fco.gov.uk, info.lagos@ng.britishcouncil.org, dfid.abuja@fco.gov.uk, visaenquiries.abuja@fco.gov.uk, visa.lagos@fco.gov.uk, VisaEnquiries.abuja@fco.gov.uk.

Thanks.