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The Federal Government on Tuesday said that a high level team had been dispatched to the United Kingdom to discuss the recent ban placed on Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 30 years by the British Government.
The Federal Government on Tuesday said that a high level team had been dispatched to the United Kingdom to discuss the recent ban placed on Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 30 years by the British Government.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Benard Udeh, stated that the team was already in London.
He said that the team was also empowered to discuss other issues affecting Nigeria-UK's consular relations.
Government said that it, however, rejected the call to put in place retaliatory measures to counter the UK's visa ban.
"However, recourse to retaliatory measures (as is being suggested in some quarters)
is not required, at this stage, when the matter is under active discussions in both capitals," the statement said.
Government said that it is committed to resolving the controversies through dialogue.
It said, "When the embargo was announced by the British High Commission in Abuja and the Home Office in London, the Federal Government conscious of its responsibility took immediate action on the matter.
"In Abuja, the British High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the concern of Government and the feelings of a vast number of Nigerians were conveyed in very strong terms to the envoy.
"Similar step was taken in London by our High Commission where representations were made to the British and Commonwealth office."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it welcomed the robust debates that greeted the ban and asked that the debates be sustained pending the time that the ban would be lifted.