An official of the Nigerian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the circumstances surrounding
the
issuance of Nigerian visa to the wanted terrorist who has been on the
wanted list of several governments.
It will be recalled that a
radical Muslim cleric, Ahmad al-Assir, was arrested by Lebanese authorities as
he attempted to leave Lebanon for Nigeria via Cairo.
He was said to have been
arrested while attempting to travel with a fake Palestinian passport with a
valid Nigerian visa at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport on Saturday,
August 15, 2015 in Lebanon.
According to the official
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the
ministry has been directed to explain how the wanted terrorist was able to get
Nigerian visa.
“The reported arrest of the wanted terrorist is a huge
embarrassment to Nigeria and the president has directed that the matter should
be investigated.
The embassy in Lebanon has
been directed to furnish the ministry with details of how the man got the visa.
The National Intelligence Agency Officer has been directed to provide details
of what happened,” the official said.
The official added that
Nigerian embassies around the world keep a tab on wanted persons in their
countries of accreditation and “we are amazed that such a high profile
terrorist would evade our radar. This is a major breach that cannot be allowed
to go without investigation.
“This is more so that the
Boko Haram sect has pledged allegiance to Islamic State terrorists. There is no
way our embassy officials will allow such laxity in their areas of operation.
The president is justifiably furious about it,” the source added.
It will be recalled that
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that Assir, who was travelling with another
man, was holding a fake passport in the name of Rami Abdul Rahman Taleb, while
his companion was holding a passport in the name of Khaled Sidani.
He was reported to have
shaved off his iconic beard and under gone facial surgery to conceal his
identity but was identified by eagle eyed Lebanese security operatives.
Sheikh Assir has been on
the run for two years, having been declared wanted in Lebanon in 2013 when his
followers clashed with the Lebanese army, killing at least 18 soldiers.
He gained notoriety as a “a
self-proclaimed defender of Sunni rights” due to his fiery anti-Hezbollah
rhetoric and had reportedly been recruiting his followers to join the Islamic
State terrorist group (ISIS) in Syria fighting against Assad’s government.
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