UAE increases visa fee to N640,000, applicants kick – Newstrends
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UAE increases visa fee to N640,000, applicants kick

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United Arab Emirates

UAE increases visa fee to N640,000, applicants kick

Following the lifting of the visa ban on Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates Government has increased its visa fee by over 300 per cent, which has been condemned by air travellers in the country.

Expressing anger over the development, a traveller at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Rose Aikigbe, said “This is a clear indication that the UAE government doesn’t want Nigeria in their domain. How much is the United Kingdom taking? Why is the amount so out of reach?

“I think the Nigerian government needs to do more engagement with the government of the United Arab Emirates, please let them do something to this hike.”

Also, a father of three, Adejare Adebukola, who claimed to have two children willing to study in Dubai, begged the government to act on the hike to save his children’s dream.

“If the government refuses to do something about this hike and the UAE government also remains adamant, I am sorry my children whose dreams are to study in Dubai will have to have a change of thought.”

On X, MAYOR @Enokeran2016 said, “You think FG constant solicitation was for mere Nigerians? The constant appeal from the Nigerian government to lift travel bans to the UAE appears to primarily benefit wealthy individuals and politicians seeking a haven for their ill-gotten wealth, rather than ordinary Nigerians.”

NEFERTITI with X handle @firstladyship stated, “It is obvious the UAE don’t want Nigerians. They reluctantly unbanned the Nigerian passport but slammed a hefty N640,000 on Nigerians.

“Guess what? The money is nonrefundable & has an expiration date. This is see finish.”

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The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the lifting of the ban while briefing the State House correspondents on Monday after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu.

Idris said the Federal Government and the UAE authorities had reached an agreement vacating travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians with immediate effect.

The minister revealed that Nigerian passport holders can now travel to the UAE without any form of hindrance. He also asked Nigerians seeking information on the updated UAE visa conditions can visit documentverificationhub.ae for further details.

He said, “I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and effective from today (Monday), Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so.”

Our correspondent observed on the United Arab Emirates document verification website

that applicants were required to pay N640,000 as non-refundable application fees for visas.

 Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that before the visa ban, the fee was $100, amounting to N155,500, using the currency exchange of N1,555/$.

The hike of the visa fee to N484,500 indicates a 311.58 per cent rise.

 The N640,000 fee does not guarantee a visa to UAE as the issued Document Verification Number will only be valid for 14 days of issuance or once the visa application has been processed by the visa application department.

It will be recalled that the UAE imposed the visa ban on Nigeria in connection with several diplomatic disputes.

Additionally, Dubai’s Emirates Airline halted flights to Nigeria because the Central Bank of Nigeria couldn’t remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE.

In June, following several meetings with the UAE government, the Federal Government assured Nigerians that the visa ban would soon be lifted. During the same month, the Nigerian government announced that it had paid 98 per cent of $850m.

UAE increases visa fee to N640,000, applicants kick

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Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has described President Bola Tinubu as an epitome of wealth with no interest to loot Nigeria’s resources.

Olawande stated this while speaking at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch in Abuja.

The minister also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president, noting that in no distant time there will be positive changes.

He said, “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of the citizens will be transformed.

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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper; he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria.”

Olawande continued, “He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury.”

He emphasized that the administration is putting in efforts to transform the lives of Nigerians through various policies of the federal government.

Olawande thanked the staff of the ministry for being supportive of the government policies and assured them that their welfare will not be compromised.

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 32.15% in August 2024 down from the 33.40% recorded in July 2024, reflecting a decrease of 1.25 percentage points.

This represents the second consecutive monthly slowdown in inflation after easing in the previous month.

This is according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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However, on a year-on-year basis, the August 2024 inflation rate was 6.35 percentage points higher than the 25.80% rate recorded in August 2023, indicating a significant increase over the past year.

On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate in August 2024 stood at 2.22%, slightly lower than July’s rate of 2.28%, signaling a slower pace in the increase of the average price level compared to the previous month.

BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six young men in a hotel located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin City with fake letterheads, stamps, and forged signatures belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its chieftains.

The young men, who were apprehended with incriminating materials such as printers, mobile phones, power banks, laptops, and a photocopy machine, are believed to have been involved in drafting and circulating fake PDP letters and statements.

Their objective was to paint the PDP as instigators of unrest ahead of the forthcoming Edo governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The arrest, which was made following a tip-off, uncovered an elaborate scheme allegedly designed to discredit the PDP and its leaders by sending fabricated documents to unsuspecting journalists.

These fake letters and statements, according to police sources, were intended to portray the party as warmongers and troublemakers in the run-up to the critical election.

A police officer involved in the operation, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the suspects had been using the hotel as their base of operations for weeks.

“We found that these individuals were using forged PDP letterheads, stamps, and signatures to create fake documents.

“Their goal was to send out these documents to journalists in an attempt to misrepresent the PDP and create an atmosphere of tension ahead of the elections,” the officer said.

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In addition to the counterfeit materials, the police discovered that the young men had several technological devices, including laptops and printers, which they used to produce and disseminate the fraudulent documents.

“Their setup was sophisticated. They had everything they needed to make the documents appear legitimate, from forged letterheads to printers.

“We also found power banks, mobile phones, and a photocopy machine, which they used to mass-produce the fake letters,” the officer added.

Further investigation has revealed that the six young men were funded by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Meanwhile, another police source disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has come under intense pressure from senior APC figures, who are reportedly pushing for the release of the arrested men.

“Since the arrest, there has been immense pressure on us from certain chieftains within the APC, urging the command to release these individuals.

“We believe that their involvement with these young men is being covered up, and they are worried about the potential fallout from this arrest,” the source noted.

A journalist with one of the prominent national newspapers, who had been unknowingly receiving fake statements from the group, expressed shock upon hearing about the arrests.

“It’s alarming to think that we’ve been receiving statements from people who were impersonating the PDP. This shows how low some people will go to try and sabotage the other party. The integrity of this election is now under serious question,” the journalist stated.

The Edo State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but sources within the command say investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain in custody.

Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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