The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday granted Nigerian citizenship to 335 non-Nigerians.
Out of the approved number for the status, 245 applications were approved for citizenship by registration (also known as Niger-wives) while 90 persons got citizenship by naturalisation.
Minister of Interior, Lt.- Gen. Abdulraman Danbazau (rtd), who briefed State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, said over 500 persons applied for the citizenship.
The last time the Federal Government granted citizenship to non-Nigerians was in 2013. As at that time, 174 foreigners benefited in the exercise during the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Some of the requirements used by Federal Government in granting citizenship to foreigners as provided in the constitution are tax payment and ability to live in Nigeria without being economic burdens and security problems to the country.
According to Danbazau, the ministry, yesterday, presented a memo to FEC following recommendations by Advisory Committee on Nigerian Citizenship (ACNC), which handles the selection process.
“This is a procedure that takes a number of steps. The last time this was done was in 2013. We have some backlog of these applications.
“Over 500 applications that we considered, out of these, 335 were recommended for citizenship and this memo was brought to council to that effect. Citizenship is either by naturalization or by registration.
“There are 245 that applied for citizenship by naturalization and the requirements to be met are clearly stated in section 26 of the constitution.
“Then, there is citizenship by registration and that is what is popularly known as Niger-wives which is for women in foreign countries who are married to Nigerian citizens. That is also clearly spelt out in section 27 of the constitution,” he noted.
Meanwhile, FEC also approved contracts for the completion of water projects in Katsina and Edo states.
The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, told reporters that one of the projects approved by council, worth N1.735 billion, is for the completion of the Sabke water supply scheme in Katsina State.
