Foreigners are marrying Nigerian women to gain citizen benefits

In a statement made on March 14 2018, the NIS boss says these foreigners are out here marrying Nigerian women not out of love or true romance, but in order to take advantage of a loophole in the the agency’s requirements for the granting of residence and work permits to non-Nigerians.

Marriages that threaten National security

“A lot of fake or `arrangee’ marriages are going on, and that would give them permission to stay in this country without much liabilities.

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“The advantage is that when you are the spouse of a Nigerian, you have no limitation on the job you will do; you don’t have to pay residence permit fees; it is easier for you to stay.“So, we are beginning to face difficulties because many people are becoming married on temporary ground,’’ says Babandede.

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According to the immigration boss, the issue is a “security threat,” so there have been arrests, and the agency is doing all it can to ensure that this abuse does not continue much longer.

How to stop the fake marriages

Their plans include a stricter monitoring of marriages between foreign men and Nigerian women, he reveals.“We will not allow any person to come for holiday marriage, because we have also observed that people just come on holidays, arrange marriages in Nigeria and go back.

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"We will not allow that anymore; you have to stay for a period of six months after marriage before you get our residence permit.

You have to also enter with permission to stay in Nigeria, so you must come with the residency visa; you can’t come as a tourist and get married,’’ he says.

Babandede says further that the agency is also planning to restrict foreign spouses to jobs for which Nigerians lack requisite skills and qualifications.