06 February 2010 - The Philippine Embassy in Abuja reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Charge d' Affaires, a.i. Alex V. Lamadrid led a team of Embassy officials in visiting the states of Kano and Kaduna in Northern Nigeria last January 22 to 25.

CDA Lamadrid was accompanied by Consular Officer Alimoden S. Emam, and Protocol Officer Efren E. Pasculado.

The Embassy team conducted an ocular inspection of several factories of the Lee Group of Companies in Kano, which employs about a hundred Filipinos in both technical and management positions.

The Filipino employees expressed their appreciation for the Embassy's efforts in negotiating a partial lifting of the deployment ban to Abuja, which allowed them to return to their jobs in Nigeria.

He also met with 70 members of the Filipino community in Kano at a luncheon hosted by former Filipino community President Mrs. Zorahayda Castillo at her residence.

Afterwards, CDA Lamadrid proceeded to Kaduna State, where he met with members of the Filipino community at the residence of Ms. Veronica Snoxell on January 24.

He encouraged all the registered Filipino voters to participate in the upcoming 2010 national elections, which will be conducted from April 10 to May 10.

He also informed them that the Machine Readable Passports (MRP) will be available starting the first week of February 2010.

The RP Embassy Team also provided consular services to the Filipino communities in Kano and Kaduna, such as renewals of Philippine passports, processing of documentation, certifications, authentications and visa applications of Nigerian dependents of Filipinos.

Due to the recent disturbances in the neighboring state of Plateau, CDA Lamadrid reminded the Filipino communities in Kano and Kaduna to take the necessary security precautions.