Sabinews investigations reveal that visa applications have surged on the back of fears that violence may break out following elections on March 28 and April 11.
Presidential and gubernatorial elections are scheduled, respectively, for both days and many fear that there may be violence no matter who wins as president between the two front runners, Muhammadu Buhari of APC and incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of PDP.
Investigations at the US embassy reveal that there has been a surge in applications for visas on a scale higher than is usually seen just before summer holidays when well-to-do Nigerians travel abroad.
“Many people have been coming to renew,” said a source at DHL which handles drop box applications.
The story was similar at VFS in Lekki where visa applications are processed for a slew of foreign embassies from France to Canada.
“Many people have been coming with their children to get visas and many people are applying for 1 year and 2 years,” Okey tells us. He is a tout who assists applicants with filling their forms. “People don’t want 6 months visa aagain.”
Enquiries at Etiebet Place where British visas are processed on the Lagos mainland revealed that there has also been an upsurge in visa applications. Staffers of Tele Performance, the new vendors, who did not wish to be named said Nigerians are in a frenzy for visas. “People are really planning to leave. All this butter people don’t want their children to suffer and it is causing wahala for us because this people will sack you if you make a mistake. Me I cannot cope. I am looking for another work, the pressure is too much.”
Teachers at elitist private schools in Lagos report that parents have been coming to pick their children for embassy appointments. “Everybody in my class has gone for their visas. I was the last to go,” Kayode an SS2 student at Christ the King College, Gbagada told staging.sabinews.com.
The story was the same at Greensprings in Anthony village where teachers confirmed that parents have been coming to pick up children for visa appointments.
“Almost all the children in my class went this time,” said a teacher who did not want to be named. “It was like a competition and it’s not even summer.”
Barack Obama sent a video message earlier today urging Nigerians to eschew violence and give peace a chance but for many seeking foreign visas and stockpiling food, the fear is only too real.
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