PAROLE FOR NIGERIAN PRISONERS

PAROLE FOR NIGERIAN PRISONERS

 
credits-debate.org
I
only used to read about this happening in foreign jurisdictions and I have seen
it done many times in Hollywood movies, but it’s great to note that there is now
a provision for it in our statutes and prisoners in Nigeria who been reformed
can particularly take advantage of it.

Getting
a parole is a totally new thing in Nigerian criminal law administration and the
closest we ever came to it was a state pardon by the Governor or maybe a prison
decongestion drive by the Chief Judge of the High Court of a State.

According
to the Black’s Law Dictionary, 10th Edition, parole is the
conditional release of a prisoner from imprisonment before the full sentence
has been served. Usually, it is granted for good behaviour on the condition
that the parolee regularly reports to the supervising officer.

The
provision of the law that has made parole possible in Nigerian prison system is
the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. It provides in Section 468
that:

1)     
Where a
Comptroller-General of Prisons makes a report to the court recommending that a
prisoner:
a)    
Sentenced and serving
his sentence in prison is of good behaviour; and
 
b)    
Has served at least one
third of his prison term, where he is sentenced to imprisonment for a term of
at least fifteen years or where he is sentenced to life imprisonment, the court
may, after hearing the prosecution and the prisoner or his legal representative,
order that the remaining term of his imprisonment be suspended, with or without
conditions, as the court considers fit, and the prisoner shall be released from
prison on the order.
2)    
A prisoner released
under subsection (1) of this section shall undergo a rehabilitation programme
in a Government facility or any other appropriate facility to enable him to be
properly reintegrated to the society.
3)   
The Comptroller-General
of Prisons shall make adequate arrangement, including budgetary provision, for
the facility.
One
thing that crosses my mind though is how the Comptroller will adequately
prepare such a facility if the prisons system remains underfunded as is alleged
in certain circles by prison officials. I hope the government can pay a lot of attention
to this, as it will ensure that our prison system is adequate in reforming
prisoners and that those who are reformed and well behaved are given another
opportunity at being better citizens in the society.
 Adedunmade Onibokun
@adedunmade/twitter 
PAY YOUR PERSONAL INCOME TAX NOW

PAY YOUR PERSONAL INCOME TAX NOW

 
credits-dailyguideafrica.com
Have
you been paying your tax? I mean your personal income tax? Buhari is looking
for more people to arrest o
The Government is keen on preventing  tax evasion and using the revenue collected
to raise the much needed funds government desperately needs, especially with
the back drop of the current falling crude oil prices.  The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has
in turn put officers on check points to arrest people that have not paid
their taxes
geared up its strategy to combat tax evasion which is very
prevalent in Nigeria.
All
Nigerians are required to pay their personal income taxes by virtue of the
provisions of Section 41, Personal
Income Tax Act, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004
. The law
provides that ;
(1)    
For each year of
assessment, a taxable person shall, without notice or demand thereof, file a
return of income in the prescribed form and containing  the prescribed information with the tax
authority of the state in which the taxable person is deemed to be a resident.
Moreover,
one is mandated to pay taxes based on all forms of income such person may have
received in the year under assessment especially all those monies that
people dashed you
. This is stated in Section 36 that –
The
total income of an individual for any year of assessment shall be the amount of
his total assessable income from all sources for that year
”.
It
should be noted that evading tax payments is a crime in most jurisdictions of
the world including Nigeria as seen in Section 94 (1) which states failure to
comply can lead to imprisonment for 6 months and/or a fine. Usually, personal
income tax is paid at source by most organisations but it’s necessary to
confirm if yours has been paid.
Adedunmade
Onibokun
@adedunmade/twitter
 
PROCUDRE FOR EXTRADITION IN NIGERIA

PROCUDRE FOR EXTRADITION IN NIGERIA

 
Credits – carliforniadefenseblog.com
 You will recall
that a number of months ago, the legal battle between the Nigerian government
and Senator Buruji Kashamu on the application by the United States to have
Senator Buruji extradited to the U.S was well reported in the news.
 The application was
possible because Nigeria is a signatory to several extradition treaties with
other countries. Examples of such countries are South Africa, Liberia, the United
States of America, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.  The enabling law that allows the country enter
into such agreements is the Extradition Act, Chapter E25, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004
. The Act also becomes applicable to any
country that enters such an agreement with Nigeria.

 The Black’s law
dictionary, 10th Edition, defines Extradition as the official
surrender of an alleged criminal by one state or country to another having
jurisdiction over the crime charged; the return of a fugitive from justice,
regardless of consent, by the authorities where the fugitive is found.
 It’s however not
every time an application for extradition is made that it is granted, for
instance the United Kingdom refused to grant an extradition application to have
James Ibori return to serve the rest of his prison sentence in Nigeria. Also,
Nigeria can deny any of such applications on certain grounds which include, if
the Attorney – General or a court is satisfied that;
 
1.    
The offence for which the fugitive is sought is of a
political nature. Section 3(1). 
2.    
The extradition application was made for the purpose
of punishing or prosecuting the fugitive on account of his race, religion,
nationality or political opinions or otherwise not made in the interest of
justice or good faith, Section 3(2);
3.    
The nature of the offence is trivial, Section 3
(3)(a);
4.    
The passage of time since the commission of the crime
Section 3(3)(b);
5.    
The fugitive criminal has been convicted or acquitted
of that offence before;
6.    
Is charged with an offence which under Nigerian law is
not an offence whereby his surrender is sought.
 Such application
for extradition by virtue of Section 6 is made by a diplomatic representative
or consular officer of that country which is applying to the Attorney-General
of Nigeria in writing also including with the application a duly authenticated
warrant of arrest or certificate of conviction issued in that country. The
Attorney – General will thus signify to a Magistrate to issue a warrant for the
arrest of the fugitive criminal.
 
AdedunmadeOnibokun, Esq.
@adedunmade
 
 
IF I WAS PRESIDENT by Chika Maduakolam

IF I WAS PRESIDENT by Chika Maduakolam


May 2015; the defining
moment of change for Nigeria. A new president sworn in, the president of the
people, the chosen one. The exhilaration that came with the fact that power now
lay in the hands of Nigerians to make or break a ruler!! Nigerians felt we had
a choice!
January 2016; a more sober
Nigeria. A Country faced with realities it never envisaged the full scope of.
As I am wont to do, I state clearly that I am no political pundit or analyst or
soothsayer. This piece is not an attack on Nigeria or its leaders. For those
familiar with my style of writing, it is a call for introspection. Today, I am
a mere citizen of Nigeria with a Law degree.

What is the Law? Simplest
definition: A system of rules to which every individual within a society is to
abide by or else face punishment or reprieve from the government or appropriate
enforcement institutions.
What
is a Society without Law: Chaotic, Demoralised, and Disorderly.
What
is a Society whose Government does not know the Law: Empty. Directionless.
When some of us
cast our votes in 2015, it wasn’t because we felt the Messiah had come but more
like the end of Pharaoh had come. We had reached our wits end. We did not see
the light at the end of the tunnel but we saw an opening with hope that if we
ventured, we may see a light at the end.
I will not say the
leadership so far has been dismal, there still exists peace in a majority of
the country. What I will say is that more is to be expected. The fight against
corruption, though commendable, cannot be the only defining moment of this
administration. 
The leadership
cannot underestimate the value of taking the pulse of the people. This was a
strategy employed pre-campaign but has been discarded at the achievement of the
much sought position; that is not a wise move. 
It is not a wise
move because, as much as the government is burdened with the responsibility of
making the laws, a large part of Law creation, execution and enforcement relies
on the People.
The missing part of
my earlier definition, I make bold to say is: The Law is the People, The Law is
made by the People and for the People.
We fail to
recognize the circle of life we live in- The president of today was once a boy
who came from a humble background. He was not ‘destined’ to rule but shaped by
the annals of society and guided by his path in life, he is the president of
today. So also every leader in Nigeria today. So the little boy who was raised
yesterday was raised with a set of values and, most importantly, an awareness
of what obtained in the land. Before I veer off course in my rant, what I
simply mean is a healthy understanding of the Law and a commitment to abide by
it will pay off dividends that are immeasurable in future.
Bringing it home,
if I am the Law, I will do all in my power to protect myself, to protect my
interests and those around me alike. I will have a consciousness that in the
position of a follower or a leader, my utmost goal is to uphold the law.
I will not, as a
leader, feel I have the utmost right to trump the decision of the judiciary as
I am not given that right by law (the detention of the former National Security
Adviser, Sambo Dasuki as well as the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra). I will not desist from
following due process in the prosecution of my duties. I will not bring out
directives without full consideration of its effects on the citizens (Effects
of CBN directives on Nigerians in Diaspora).
This is the basis
upon which every Nigerian should never take for granted the value of knowing
the Laws of the Land for himself/herself and the generations to come. 
We cannot continue
to tow the path of ‘anything goes’ in this great country. ‘Anything’ does not
go; the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is for EVERY
Nigerian, not for only the educated, or the wealthy, or those in leadership
positions. It is for everyone. The sooner it sinks into our consciousness, the
less we will have to talk about in our society. Only then can we foster a
healthy society.
By: Chika Maduakolam 

YOU CAN PLEA BARGAIN IN NIGERIA by Adedunmade Onibokun

YOU CAN PLEA BARGAIN IN NIGERIA by Adedunmade Onibokun

Credits – www.triallawyerconfidential.com 
Dansuki, the former National Security Adviser can get off the corruption charges by plea bargaining, do you agree? 

If you are Nigerian or you
follow news and updates from my country, then you will be familiar with the
current anti-corruption campaign sweeping over the country with the Office of
the National Security Adviser under the Goodluck Jonathan administration right
in the middle of it.  I expressed to a
colleague that the culprits may not see the inside of the jail cell if they
plea bargain and return the stolen national funds but my colleague disagreed
until I shared the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act
2015.

Plea bargaining is one
area of criminal law practice that is yet to be explored in Nigeria  and very few Nigerians know it even exists in
our jurisprudence. Maybe, if we use it more often, it will serve as a means of
reducing the cost and time to government of prosecuting an alleged offender, it
will in turn ensure a smoother and faster administration of justice process and
it gives an accused person an opportunity to plead to a lesser sentence.


The Black’s Law Dictionary
defines “plea bargaining” as a negotiated agreement, between a prosecutor and a
criminal defendant whereby the defendant pleads guilty or no contest to a
lesser offense or to one of multiple charges in exchange for some concession by
the prosecutor. In Nigerian law, the enabling provision of the law for plea
bargains can be found in Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice
Act, 2015.

The law in subsection 1
provides that –
“1) Notwithstanding
anything in this Act or in any other law, the prosecutor may:
a)      Receive
and consider  a plea bargain from a defendant
charged with an offence either directly from that defendant or on his behalf;
b)      Offer
a plea bargain to a defendant charged with an offence.”

Furthermore, the
prosecution may enter a plea bargain with the defendant if the evidence isn’t enough
to prove the commission of the offence beyond reasonable doubt; the defendant
has agreed to return the proceeds of the crime or make restitution; where in a
case of conspiracy the defendant has fully cooperated with the investigation
and when the Prosecutor believes it is in the interest of justice or public
interest. The Prosecutor must however consult with the investigating police
officer.

In determining whether
entering a plea bargain is in the interest of justice, the prosecutor will
consider the following –

i.                  
The defendant’s willingness to cooperate in
the investigation and prosecution of others;
ii.               
The defendant’s criminal history
iii.            
The defendant’s remorse or willingness to
accept responsibility for his conduct.
iv.            
The desirability for prompt disposition of
the case;
v.               
The likelihood of obtaining a conviction;
vi.            
The probable sentence or consequences if
the accused is sentenced;
vii.         
The need to avoid delay;
viii.      
The expense of a trial and appeal;
ix.             
The defendant’s willingness to pay
compensation.

There are numerous
advantages to Nigeria embracing the plea bargain provision in our Administration
of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, such as a decongested prison, reduction in cost
of prosecution and also the opportunity for the accused to leniency after
showing signs for remorse. I hope lawyers are making the best of this legal
provision for the interest of their clients and the prosecution is also doing
same for the interest of the public.  
Adedunmade
Onibokun Esq,
Dunmadeo@yahoo.com
Adedunmade/Twitter
WE NEED TO DOMESTICATE OUR INTERNATIONAL TREATIES by Adedunmade Onibokun

WE NEED TO DOMESTICATE OUR INTERNATIONAL TREATIES by Adedunmade Onibokun

Credits-www.blog.unwatch.org
A treaty is an agreement under international law entered into by participants
in international law, usually
sovereign states and international
organizations. A treaty may also
be known as an (international)
agreement, protocol, covenant, convention, pact, or exchange of letters, among
other terms
.

Nigeria
is a signatory to about 400 protocols and conventions according to Dayo
Bush-Alebiosu, a former lawmaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former
Chairman, House Committee on Treaties and Bilateral Agreements. However,
Nigeria is not reaping the full benefits of these protocols and conventions and
here is why. 

By
virtue of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, upon signing a treaty, it does not become law in Nigeria until
domesticated. The provision can be found in Section 12 of the Constitution. It
provides in sub-section 1 that – 
“No treaty between the Federation and any other country
shall have the force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty has
been enacted into law by the National Assembly”.
Some
of these treaties offer business and investment opportunities for Nigerians and
the Nation; however, due to the lack of knowledge about these treaties, we are being
short paid even though our country is a signatory to these treaties. However,
who takes home the blame for these lapses? Nigerians don’t know. 
While
the Constitution states that it’s the role of the National Assembly to
domesticate treaties, the Assembly itself does not have the full list of
treaties entered into by Nigeria and neither has the Executive begun the
process of domestication as stated by the Honourable Bush. A classic example of
a treaty that Nigeria is a signatory to is the Bilateral Air Service Agreement
between Nigeria and several countries. Others are the – Extradition Treaty
between Nigeria and South Africa signed in 2005; The International Convention
for the safety of Life at Sea signed in 2004 and the International Convention
on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage signed by Nigeria in 2006. 
It
is mandatory that as a country, we are able to identify all treaties and
protocols that Nigeria is a signatory to and domesticate those that will
benefit Nigeria. As not all these treaties may be beneficial to Nigeria in the
long run or in the face of current world and economic realities. I humbly use
this opportunity to urge the Executive and government of President Buhari to
work with the National Assembly to help domesticate all our treaties.
Adedunmade
Onibokun Esq,
@adedunmade/twitter
 

KEY CLAUSES TO NEGOTIATE IN AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT by Ivie Omoregie

KEY CLAUSES TO NEGOTIATE IN AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT by Ivie Omoregie


Credits – www.employment-template.com

As an employee, one of the
prerequisites to having some sort of assurance in a particular organisation is
the Employment Contract. However, in a country such as Nigeria where
unemployment is rife, and hunger is real, many job-seekers do not wish to “rock
the boat” before gaining proper entry into an establishment. It is unlikely for
a newly employed person, who has been job hunting for at least seven years, to
negotiate any aspect of the Employment Contract and it is because of the high
rate of unemployment that many employers choose to take advantage by enforcing
onerous terms on their employees.
An Employment Contract, also known as
Employment Agreement is a binding document which sets out the obligations and
expectations of the parties, purportedly minimising future disputes.

A deeper look into the Labour Sector in
Nigeria will reveal that the applicability of the Labour Act is limited to low
cadre employees. This would mean that employees who cannot be regarded as being
low cadre employees by virtue of the provisions of that legislation can only
see recourse under the terms of their Employment Contract.
I believe that, at all times, one
should fight for ones rights. I’m not advocating the pursuit of unrealistic
goals (please do not go there and quote me whilst asking for a 2015 Range Sport
as the company car for your junior position); however I do believe that where
one is not comfortable with a particular term in their Employment Contract,
then one should raise this fact before signing on the dotted line.
Fundamentally, the employee has the
ball in his court and he is expected to take a closer look at the
various terms, duties and rewards enshrined in the document. Anyone who knows
their self-worth will always negotiate for terms that would be to their
benefit.
Having said that, some of the vital
issues an employee should look out for when reviewing his Employment Contract
include the following:
Compensation (A.K.A “Salary”,
“Allowance”, “Ego”, “Kudi”, “Owo”, or “Money”)
This is the main clause an employee must look out for. If the pay is not
sufficient consideration, then such an employee might as well remain unemployed
and stress free. When scrutinising one should also consider other benefits and
entitlements, such as bonus, leave allowance, housing and transportation.
I have a friend who didn’t spend up to
a year in her former place of work. She had to quit when she calculated her
expenses and placed it beside her salary – she realised the money left, after
deducting money spent on transport, wasn’t enough to make her live an “okay”
life.
Scope of Employment
Many employees rush into an
organisation at the very chance they get and fail to ask themselves “What
exactly is my role here and is there any other secondary role which is ascribed
to my position?
”. At the end, we find absurdities arising, such as the
receptionist taking up the duty of the messenger or sometimes the role of
cleaner.
A lawyer friend of mine who’s just over
10 months in the profession commented on such instance where lawyers of his
level are ordered to perform duties not relating to their calling, such as
making daily trips to “Iya Eba” or “Ghana High” to pick up every
ones lunch.
Vacation Entitlement
In this jurisdiction, it is not unheard
of for there to be a clause in the Employment Contract baring the employee from
any entitlement to leave whatsoever for the first year of their employment.
Initially, I thought this was only
applicable to entry level employees, but recently I have come to learn that
this clause may be found in any contract an organisation is able to put it
into. Thus one can find themselves moving jobs after five years in the job
market, and suddenly unable to take time off to recuperate.
I have never actually understood this,
as very few immune systems can work non-stop for one entire year without rest;
in most instances, employees will merely call in sick and return a few days
later with a doctor’s note, thus making the “Leave” unmonitored and the
organisation fundamentally losing. As the saying goes “Man no be machine,
body no be fire wood”
. If the organisation doesn’t know this, I’ll advice
that you let them know as soon as you are set to negotiate this clause.
Where such a clause exists, it is worth
negotiating to ensure that you are entitled to full staff entitlements from the
moment the employment is confirm, that is after the conclusion of any
applicable probation period.
Termination
It is always advisable to look for the grounds upon which the company can
terminate the Employment Contract.
In the UK, it is a norm for
organisations to have a clear procedure for termination; this is usually in the
form of oral warning, written warning, suspension then termination. Or where
there has been a serious incident, suspension, followed by an investigation
which may then lead to the termination of the Employment Contract. However here
in Nigeria, we do not have any uniform procedure for terminating an employee’s
contract; many organisations simply do not properly cater for termination in
the Employment Contract, thus leaving the employee at the mercy of the “Benevolent
Dictator
” also known as “The Oga”.
It is for this reason one needs to
ensure termination is properly addressed in the Employment Contract. Where it
is addressed, it is also equally import to ensure that the contract does not
have an omnibus clause inserted in there. These clauses tend to be drafted in a
way that they capture a range of instances and are often used by employers as a
means of ending the Employment Contract abruptly; for example one such clause
could read “or any other instance which in the view of management may be
deemed as a breach of this Employment Contract
”.
Notice Period for Resignation
Please, if you are not employed as
senior management, exactly why should you be mandated to give 3-6 months’
notice of intentions to leave the organisation? In the instance where one has
landed a fantastic role with a fantastic organisation, how many of these
organisations will be willing to wait 3-6 month for you to complete the
required notice period.
In most instances, once a member of
staff resigns, their work load will significantly reduce, with them being
present merely to hand over to the next parson. For this reason, I do not see
why a non-managerial role would need 3-6 months to hand over to their
predecessor.
Other essential terms in an employment
contract include the following
:
1.     Accident/disability
and death whilst on the job
2.     Restriction of
post-employment trade;
3.     The effective date of
the contract;
4.     If the contract is
for a fixed term, the date when the contract expires;
5.     Hours of work;
6.     Paid sick leave;
7.     Criteria for
promotion; and
8.     Unilateral relocation
to another location.
Conclusion
I walk down the streets these days and I see in every corner written in chalk
or printed on A4 papers and pasted on rough walls, some sort of vacancy or job
opportunity calling for “workers”.
But I cannot help but ponder if the
said organistaion is seeking an individual who will add value to their team, or
a mere “slave” who they can easily manipulate and mistreat.
In most developed countries, workers
have their lives and jobs insured. Unfortunately, this is not the case here in
Nigeria, with some people arguing that ‘it is better to be doing something than
to do nothing at all’.
In the end, it is expected of every new
employee not to rush into a new opportunity that has got no opportunity at all
in its real sense.
By: Ivie  Omoregie
DUTIES OF COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DUTIES OF COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Credits-blog.ipleader.in
Halima Durosinmi has just been informed that she has been appointed a director in XYZ Company, a Multi-national company operating in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria. Though excited and elated, Halima is however not so confident because she does not know or understand the duties of a director and as approached her lawyer to enlighten her. 

Generally, the affairs of a company in Nigeria are regulated by the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), Cap C.20, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004. Consequently, it is also CAMA that states the duties of directors in a company, without prejudice to the company’s Articles and Memorandum of association.  Under CAMA, duties of directors can found in Section 279 of the Act. It provides that – 
1. A director of a company stands in a fiduciary relationship towards the company and shall observe the utmost good faith towards the company in anytransacton with the company or on the companies behalf. 
2. A director shall also act with utmost good faith and shall owe a fiduciary relationship when acting as agent of a particular shareholder or such shareholder is dealing with the company’s securities. 
3. A director shall act in the best interest of the company so as to preserve its assets, further its business and promote the purposes for which such company was formed. 
4. The director in performing his/her duties shall act to provide the interest of the company’s employees and the company’s members. 
5. A director must exercise his/her powers for the purpose to which it was specified. 
6. A director shall not fetter his discretion to vote in a particular way. 
7. A director who delegates his powers shall not delegate such power in such a way as to amount to an abdication of duty. 
8. No provision shall relieve any director from the duty to act in accordance with this section or relieve him from any liability incurred as a result of any breach of the duties conferred on him. 
9. All duties imposed on a director by the act shall be enforceable against the director by the company. 
The essence of the above provisions of CAMA provides that any company director must act in utmost good faith towards the company and ensure that their personal interest do not conflict with their duties as a director. For instance, the court in Olawepo V. S.E.C (2011)16 NWLR (Part 1272) page 122 stated that a director has a continuing duty to acquire and maintain a sufficient understanding of the company’s business to enable him discharge his duties as a director. The question of the duty of the director and whether it has been discharged must depend on the fact of each particular case the articles of association and the director’s role in the management of the company.  
Adedunmade Onibokun, Esq.  Dunmadeo@yahoo.com    
@Adedunmade 
PERSONS LIABLE FOR DEPORTATION

PERSONS LIABLE FOR DEPORTATION

Credits-dailymail.uk 

Munala was brimming with excitement as her plane touched down in Lagos, she had heard about the most populous African country and she could not wait to see the sights, it would be very different from her small Kenyan village she was sure. Her excitement seemed to douse when she observed the countenance of the immigration officer who held her passport in his hand, he wore a frown and excused himself to confer with a colleague and when he returned to his seat, he delivered the sad news. I am sorry madam but I cannot allow you into the country because your passport is invalid. 7 hours later, Munala was on a plane back to Kenya and as the plane taxied down the runway with the Lagos night lights slowly fading into the dark, she felt the tears run down her eyes. 


This has happened to several people visiting Nigeria and yes, immigration officers have the lawful authority to deny a person entry into Nigeria by virtue of the provisions of the Immigration Act, CAP 11, LFN 2004. Particularly, the Act spells out certain people whom will be denied entry into Nigeria or whom will be deported. This can be seen in Section 18 of the Immigration Act. 

The law provides in subsection 1 that –  any person within the following classes shall be prohibited or liable to be refused entry into Nigeria or deported, these class of persons include:

a) Persons without a visible means of support and will likely become a public charge;
b) Any idiot, insane person of persons suffering from mental illness;
c) Persons convicted of a crime which is an extraditable offence in a foreign country;
d) Any person whose admission in the opinion of the Minister will be contrary to public interest;
e) Any person against whom an order of deportation from Nigeria is pending.
f) Any person who –
i. Does not have a valid passport;
ii. Being a person under the age of 16years has not in his possession a valid passport or is unaccompanied by an adult on whose valid passport particulars such person appears;
g)   any prostitute
h) any person who is or has been a brothel keeper; a householder permitting the defilement of a young girl in his premises; a person allowing  a person under 13 years to be in a brothel; a person causing or encouraging the seduction or prostitution of a girl under 13; a person trading in prostitution and a procurer i.e. a person who procures young and underage girls for prostitution.

While the law’s aim to prevent pedophiles from coming into Nigeria is commendable, I wonder how the immigration officer will be able to identify these persons especially as the criminal records of the applicant is usually not available to the immigration officer and such information is not provided for in an international passport.

Adedunmade Onibokun
@adedunmade
dunmadeo@yahoo.com