The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has warned Nigerians of the need to be familiar with the laws of the countries they are visiting.
Speaking against the backdrop of the harrowing experience of a Nigerian medical doctor, Andrew Etsetowaghan at Geneva Airport for carrying a presentation pointer in his hand luggage, Dabiri-Erewa cautioned Nigerian citizens traveling through Switzerland to avoid carrying laser pointers as their usage has been banned.
Etsetowaghan, Chief Party, USAID-funded Accelerating Control of the HIV Epidemic in Nigeria (ACE) C4 Project, said he was delayed at the airport for three hours because of a laser pointer.
The use of laser pointers was banned in June 2019. The aim is to prevent people from being injured or dazzled in a hazardous way by the beam from dangerous laser pointers.
The laser pointer is a hand-held laser that can be used to point to things, for amusement (as a toy or in hobbies), to scare off animals, or to drive away other people.
Most times, it is used to deliver lectures where the slide is used. The most used laser pointer is the one carrying markings.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, noted that many immigrants might be unaware of this regulation and urged Nigerian travellers to exercise caution to avoid similar incidents.
Dr. Etsetowaghan, a public health expert and Project Director at the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria, was detained on May 25, 2024, after attending a United States Department meeting in Geneva.
Dr. Etsetowaghan, who was part of an official delegation, recounted his ordeal: “Upon going through security at Geneva Airport, I was informed that my presentation pointer was not allowed in Switzerland.
He said there was no notification even at the Geneva airport to warn travellers until he was called aside by immigration and later joined by the police.
He said he was taken to a cell for hours, where he was made to sign some documents in French even though he did not know what the contents were.
The Chief Party, who was worried about missinh his flight, said he was told bluntly that he would not be flying that day.
“I was detained, had my belongings and documents seized, and was subjected to several hours of interrogation and solitary confinement in a cell.
“Despite my compliance, the treatment I received was inhumane, including limited access to bathroom facilities and being forced to sign documents in French under duress.”
He called for measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
He called for a review of the procedures and better awareness of the banned items to ensure travellers are well-informed.
Reacting to the incident, NiDCOM emphasized the importance of raising awareness about such prohibited items in Switzerland Airports and urged Swiss authorities to enhance their communication on such regulations, describing Dr Etsetowaghan’s ordeal as “ avoidable “
